White House: Witkoff's 'direct communication' with Iran a step forward to mutually beneficial outcome

Saturday's meeting between U.S. special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqhchi to hash out the impasse on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program yielded "very positive and constructive" discussions, the White House said on Saturday. 

"Special Envoy Witkoff underscored to Dr. Araqhchi that he had instructions from President Trump to resolve our two nations' differences through dialogue and diplomacy, if that is possible," the White House said in a statement. 

"These issues are very complicated, and Special Envoy Witkoff's direct communication today was a step forward in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome." 

The two sides will meet again next Saturday, it confirmed.

Speaking to Iranian state media, Araghchi described the meeting as constructive.

“Neither we nor the other side are interested in fruitless negotiations – so-called ‘talks for the sake of talks,’ wasting time, or drawn-out, exhausting negotiations,” he said. "Both sides, including the Americans, have said that their goal is also to reach an agreement in the shortest possible time. However, that will certainly not be an easy task.”