Witkoff: Diplomatic Solution With Iran Is Real Possibility, Complicated, But Achievable

 

President Trump's special diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff spoke to Tucker Carlson about the potential for a new deal with Iran:

TUCKER CARLSON: One last question about Iran. I know I sidetracked earlier, but when I asked about the government of Israel's plan for the region, what are the borders it hopes to solidify at some point, what are the boundaries of the country, and so on? You said the first response was that we need to solve for Iran. It's the issue that overhangs everything.

There's enormous pressure on the U.S. and the Trump administration, both from within and outside, to have a military conflict with Iran. I think that's clear. It seems the president doesn't want that as his first option. My read is that if he wanted a military conflict, we'd already be in one. He appears to prefer a diplomatic solution first. Is that fair to say? And do you think that's achievable?

STEVE WITKOFF: Yes, that's fair. Yes, I do. Look, he sent a letter to the Iranians. Usually, it would be the Iranians reaching out to him, especially since their air defenses were severely weakened after the attack from Israel. They're open to attack today. Iran is a small country compared to ours, and if we used overwhelming force, it would be very, very bad for them.

And this is not a threat. I'm not threatening here—this isn't me issuing a threat. If the Iranians hear this, they should know it's the president who has that authority.

Under these circumstances, it would make sense for Iran to reach out diplomatically. Instead, it's the president who initiated contact. And I can tell you, he's not doing this from a position of weakness. He's not a weak man—he's one of the strongest men I've ever met, maybe the strongest. Even those who dislike him would have to acknowledge that.

So, why did he write that letter?

TUCKER CARLSON: For those who aren't aware, can you roughly describe what it said?

STEVE WITKOFF: It roughly said, "I'm a president of peace. That's what I want. There's no reason for us to do this militarily. We should talk, clear up misconceptions, and create a verification program so no one has to worry about the weaponization of your nuclear material."

He wants to get to that place because the alternative isn't good for anyone. That's a rough summary. And the president has publicly stated this, so it's not top secret.

The Iranians have reached back out, and I'm not at liberty to talk about the specifics, but through back channels, multiple countries, and various conduits, they reached back out.

I believe there's a real possibility of a diplomatic solution—not because I've spoken to anyone in Iran, but because logically, it makes sense. The president has indicated he's open to helping Iran clean it all up, come back to the world and be a great nation again, free from sanctions and able to grow their economy. These are very smart people.

Their economy was once wonderful. Today, they're being strangled and suffocated. There's no need for that to happen. They can join the League of nations, and we can build and grow a better relationship. That's the alternative he's presenting.

He wants to deal with Iran with respect and build trust, if possible. That’s his directive to his administration.

Exactly. And hopefully, the Iranians will respond positively. I think anything can be solved through dialogue, by clearing up misconceptions and miscommunications and disconnects between people. I'm certainly hopeful for it.

And yet, the president doesn’t want to go to war. He’ll use military action only to stop a war, not to start one. In this case, hopefully, it won’t be necessary, and hopefully we can resolve it at the negotiating table.

TUCKER CARLSON: I hope for our sake you wind up in Tehran.

STEVE WITKOFF: I hope I do too, or someone else from the administration. This is a bit more complicated because it involves nuclear issues, which require technical expertise. But I think it’ll begin with the president or someone from his team—maybe me, maybe others. I’ll welcome the opportunity if I’m involved.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/03/23/steve_witkoff_diplomatic_solution_with_iran_is_a_real_possibility_will_be_complicated_but_achievable.html