Western Officials Expect Informal Talks Between US, Iran in Coming Weeks

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Biden Administration's Priorities for US Foreign Policy, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, 10 March 2021. EPA/Ken Cedeno / POOL
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Biden Administration's Priorities for US Foreign Policy, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, 10 March 2021. EPA/Ken Cedeno / POOL
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Western Officials Expect Informal Talks Between US, Iran in Coming Weeks

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Biden Administration's Priorities for US Foreign Policy, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, 10 March 2021. EPA/Ken Cedeno / POOL
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Biden Administration's Priorities for US Foreign Policy, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, 10 March 2021. EPA/Ken Cedeno / POOL

Washington and Tehran are expected to sit soon at the same table to discuss the nuclear deal with Iran, Western and US diplomatic sources said Thursday.

“American and European diplomats said informal talks could begin in coming weeks. When they do, it is expected that the United States and Iran could agree to take simultaneous steps toward coming back into compliance with the 2015 accord,” the New York Times wrote on Thursday.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, and his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben-Shabbat held Thursday the first virtual meeting of a US-Israel Strategic Consultative Group to talk about Iran.

"During the discussion, the two sides shared perspectives on regional security issues of mutual interest and concern, including Iran, and expressed their common determination to confront the challenges and threats facing the region," Emily Horne, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, said in a statement.

"The National Security Advisors agreed on the importance of strategic interagency consultations and pledged to continue to these engagements," Horne said.

US overtures to Tehran have set the stage for possible new strains in the US-Israel alliance.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has differences with the new Biden administration on Iran. He recently hinted that Israel might resort to military action against Tehran.

Israel hopes to prevent tension between Netanyahu and Biden over their differences on the Iranian nuclear question by delegating talks on the topic to their senior staff, an Israeli official said late last month.

In a related development, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will depart for a visit to Europe on March 16, during which he will hold a series of meetings in Berlin, Vienna and Paris with the presidents of Germany, Austria and France.

He will discuss the dangers of Hezbollah’s rising power and Iran’s nuclear program.

The United States suggested Wednesday it will oppose the release of billions of dollars in Iranian funds from South Korea until Tehran returns to full compliance with a nuclear deal.

South Korea said last month that it had agreed on a way forward to release the money frozen from Iran's oil sales but was awaiting the approval of the United States.

"If Iran comes back into compliance with its obligations under the nuclear agreement, we would do the same thing," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the House Foreign Affairs Committee when asked about the Iranian money in South Korea blocked by US sanctions.

"That would involve -- if it came to that, if Iran made good on its obligations -- sanctions relief pursuant to the agreement," he said.

"But unless and until Iran comes back into compliance, they won't be getting that relief."



Turkish Prosecutors Investigate Main Opposition Leader in Crackdown

A person holds a placard during a rally to protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
A person holds a placard during a rally to protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
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Turkish Prosecutors Investigate Main Opposition Leader in Crackdown

A person holds a placard during a rally to protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
A person holds a placard during a rally to protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the leader of Türkiye's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on charges of threatening and insulting Istanbul's chief prosecutor, adding to a broad crackdown on the opposition.

The clampdown is centred on Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is President Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival and leads him in some opinion polls. The CHP's Imamoglu was jailed in March pending trial on corruption charges, which he denies, according to Reuters.

The Istanbul prosecutor's office said in a statement that it had launched the probe into CHP leader Ozgur Ozel over comments he made about the chief prosecutor at a rally in Istanbul on Wednesday, criticising the targeting of the opposition.

CHP spokesman Deniz Yucel criticised the decision to open the investigation.

"We will not succumb to this system of lawlessness that you have created," he said on X, addressing the authorities.

In another step, Türkiye's Interior Ministry dismissed three Istanbul district mayors who were arrested this week as part of the corruption investigations at the municipality, state media said on Thursday.

The ministry also removed from their posts two mayors who were arrested under the same investigations in the southern province of Adana, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported. All five of these mayors are from the CHP.

Imamoglu's arrest in March triggered mass protests, economic turmoil and broad accusations of government influence over the judiciary and anti-democratic applications. The government denies the accusations and says the judiciary is independent.

Since his arrest, authorities have detained dozens of CHP members, officials from the Istanbul municipality, and other CHP-run municipalities. Access to Imamoglu's X account was also blocked in Türkiye this month.