A man holds a photograph of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during an anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli rally in support of the Iranian government, outside the U.S. consulate, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Türkiye is set to host talks between the United States and Iran in Istanbul on Friday, Feb. 6, as Ankara intensifies efforts to prevent a military escalation , as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened "bad things" if no deal with the Islamic republic was struck.
The planned Istanbul meeting follows reports by Axios that Türkiye, alongside regional partners, has been working to bring U.S. and Iranian officials back to the table amid fears that heightened tensions could spill over into a broader confrontation.
The meeting is expected to bring together Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with officials indicating that representatives from regional states — including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt — could also be involved in the process.
Türkiye has led a diplomatic push to defuse tensions, with Araghchi visiting Istanbul last week and speaking with other regional counterparts, including in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Trump has maintained he is hopeful that Washington will "work something out" with Iran but also warned on Monday that "bad things would happen" if no deal is reached.
Tehran has insisted it wants diplomacy, while vowing an unbridled response to any aggression.
"President Pezeshkian has ordered the opening of talks with the United States" on Iran's nuclear programme, the Fars news agency reported on Monday, citing an unnamed government source. The report was also carried by the government newspaper Iran and the reformist daily Shargh.
Trump has repeatedly warned of possible action if talks fail, while Iranian leaders have cautioned that a strike could trigger wider conflict, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning that any attack would ignite a “regional war,” according to reports.
In an interview with CNN on Feb. 1, Araghchi said: "President Trump said no nuclear weapons, and we fully agree. We fully agree with that. That could be a very good deal," adding that, "in return, we expect sanctions lifting".
Tehran has acknowledged thousands of deaths during the protests, and on Sunday the presidency published the names of 2,986 people out of the 3,117 whom authorities said were killed in the unrest.
Authorities insist most were members of the security forces and innocent bystanders, attributing the violence to "terrorist acts".
The Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based NGO, said it has confirmed 6,854 deaths, mostly protesters killed by security forces, with other rights groups warning the figure is likely far higher.
The crackdown prompted the European Union to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, with Iranian lawmakers retaliating on Sunday by slapping the same designation on European armies.
The EU also issued fresh sanctions on Iranian officials, including the interior minister, a move echoed on Monday by Britain, which announced sanctions on 10 individuals over the "brutality against protesters".
Baqaei said Monday the foreign ministry had summoned all the EU member state ambassadors in Tehran over the designation, and that other responses were to come.
