Scoop: Trump's backchannel to Iran failed after supreme leader went dark

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Last edited Sat Jun 21, 2025, 06:32 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Axios

6 hours ago


President Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan quietly sought to arrange a meeting between senior U.S. and Iranian officials in Istanbul this week amid Israel's escalating war with Iran.

But the effort collapsed when Iran's supreme leader — in hiding due to fears of assassination — couldn't be reached to approve it, according to three U.S. officials and a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

Why it matters: New details of this backchannel effort reveal the extent to which Trump was pushing for a direct meeting with the Iranians — even offering to attend himself, if necessary — in hopes of striking a nuclear deal and avoiding U.S. military intervention.

In the days since, Trump and senior White House officials became less confident that a diplomatic solution was possible — and more convinced the U.S. would have to join the war to eliminate the Iranian nuclear program, according to U.S. officials.

Driving the news: Trump reiterated on Friday that he will make a decision on whether to join the war in the next "two weeks," saying he wanted "time to see whether or not people come to their senses."

"I'm giving 'em a period of time. We're gonna see what that period of time is. And I would say two weeks would be the maximum," Trump told reporters.

On Saturday evening, Trump is expected to convene his national security team in the White House Situation Room to discuss the war between Israel and Iran, which has entered its ninth day.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2025/06/21/trump-iran-turkey-negotiations-israel-war