With US-Iran talks stalled, diplomatic efforts expand to unlikely European players
- US-Iran talks have stalled, prompting the Trump administration to seek help from a broader range of countries.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with the foreign ministers of Austria and Greece, discussing various topics without specifically mentioning Iran.
- Both foreign ministers spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shortly after their discussions with Rubio.
- The outreach to Austria and Greece reflects a push to halt the conflict due to its wider impact beyond the Middle East.
- Analysts suggest these efforts may not lead to formal mediation but aim to encourage both sides to return to negotiations.
Faced with an increasingly bellicose Iran as talks to end the war have stalled, the Trump administration appears to be reaching out to a broader swath of countries that might be able to help pressure Tehran or ease its hardline position where traditional mediators have not succeeded so far.
While discussions between Iran and Oman, as well as between Iran and Pakistan, Turkey and Qatar, persist at an uneven and unpredictable pace, the U.S. administration quietly has expanded its outreach to include perhaps unlikely interlocutors in Europe.
Just this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in person in Washington with the foreign minister of Austria and held a call with the foreign minister of Greece. Those interactions were not notable beyond the normal course of relations between the U.S. and two close European allies.
However, it then emerged that both foreign ministers—almost immediately after their talks with Rubio—spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The apparent new tack to break the negotiation logjam comes as the U.S. and Iran are both pushing for control of the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial oil shipping corridor.
美国与伊朗谈判停滞，外交努力扩展至不太可能的欧洲参与者
面对愈发好战的伊朗，结束战争的谈判停滞，特朗普政府似乎正在寻求更广泛国家的帮助，以施加压力或缓解德黑兰的强硬立场，而传统调解者迄今未能成功。
尽管伊朗与阿曼、巴基斯坦、土耳其和卡塔尔之间的讨论以不均匀和不可预测的速度持续进行，美国政府悄然扩大了其外交接触，可能包括一些不太可能的欧洲参与者。
就在本周，国务卿马尔科·鲁比奥在华盛顿与奥地利外长进行了面对面的会晤，并与希腊外长进行了电话交谈。这些互动在美国与这两个亲密欧洲盟国的正常关系中并不显著。
然而，随后得知，两位外长在与鲁比奥会谈后几乎立即与伊朗外长阿巴斯·阿拉赫奇进行了通话。打破谈判僵局的新举措显然是在美国和伊朗都在争夺霍尔木兹海峡的控制权之际，霍尔木兹海峡是关键的石油运输通道。