Trump administration appoints Michael Anton to lead nuclear negotiations with Iran

The Trump administration has appointed Michael Anton, a senior State Department official, to lead the U.S. technical team in nuclear negotiations with Iran, according to two anonymous U.S. officials.

Anton, the State Department’s policy planning director, is leading a team of about a dozen career officials from various departments to negotiate an agreement imposing strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, Caliber.Az reports, citing U.S. media.

He is set to spearhead the first round of expert-level talks with Iranian officials this weekend, ahead of a meeting next week in Rome between Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Anton joined Witkoff in the most recent round of talks in the Italian capital.

“He is the perfect man for the job given his experience and intellect. Most importantly, he will ensure that President Trump’s agenda on this file is followed through,” an administration official commented.

Anton, a low-profile yet increasingly influential figure, previously worked on the National Security Council during the first Trump administration and later held a fellowship at the conservative Claremont Institute. While he has yet to publicly declare a position on the contentious Iran issue, which has long been a source of intense debate in Washington, his leadership role signals a significant move in U.S. foreign policy.

The talks come amid a divided administration, with some advocating for diplomacy, while others, including close ally Israel, favour military action to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Israel has pressed the U.S. to act swiftly, arguing that Iran is currently vulnerable after previous strikes and the weakening of its primary proxies.

President Donald Trump, however, has expressed a preference for a diplomatic resolution.

It remains unclear whether the U.S. will insist on Iran fully dismantling its nuclear programme, which Tehran insists is solely for civilian use, or if a deal will be pursued that would allow Iran to maintain certain facilities under strict verification measures.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked on April 23 that the U.S. is aiming for an arrangement that would enable Iran to import enriched uranium fuel, thus permitting Tehran to run a civilian nuclear programme.

“There’s a pathway to a civil, peaceful nuclear programme if they want one,” he said. “But if they insist on enriching, then they will be the only country in the world that doesn’t have a ‘weapons programme,’ quote-unquote, but is enriching … that’s problematic.”

Witkoff’s stance on the negotiations has evolved in recent days. After previously telling U.S. media that the U.S. would focus on verification in any agreement, Witkoff later clarified that the U.S. would not allow Iran to enrich uranium at all.

By Aghakazim Guliyev