Iran’s foreign minister and the Trump administration’s special envoy are no longer talking. A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, that communications between Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff have been suspended.
The official said every meeting scheduled between the two men, meant to work on the decades-old dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, has been called off. “The US threats undermine diplomatic efforts,” the official said.
The break follows sharper language from President Donald Trump, who has threatened to intervene as Iran deals with domestic protests. For more than a year, Washington and its European allies had been trying to restart talks on the nuclear program. The latest surge in tension appears to have ended any near-term chance of progress.
Appeals and warnings
Tehran has also gone to US allies in the region, asking them to “prevent Washington from attacking,” according to the report. The request points to how seriously Iranian officials take the prospect of military action.
Iran has in turn promised to hit US military bases in the region if it is attacked. That sets up a threat on each side, with no open channel between the two capitals to manage a misstep.
The account rests on a single senior Iranian official, who was not named.
