Veteran US diplomat criticises White House for negligence in Iran talks

The United States demonstrated “diplomatic negligence” in its pre-conflict negotiations with Iran by sidelining experienced negotiators in favour of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, according to veteran US diplomat Nicholas Burns.

He said the fact that these senior career diplomats were excluded from the Witkoff-led talks with the Iranian foreign minister before the war was diplomatic malpractice, Caliber.Az reports, citing the New York Times.

“Our career diplomats who speak fluent Farsi and understand the negotiating behaviour of the Iranians are a hidden strength of the US,” Burns noted.

Diplomats have voiced concern that Mr Trump was “again assigning high-stakes talks to negotiators with very little background in Iran or nuclear issues.”

The US and Iran announced a ceasefire late on April 7 - but there have been conflicting reports about what Iran actually agreed.

Donald Trump says US forces will remain "in place" in the region until Iran fully complies with the "real" ceasefire agreement.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov