With US-Iran talks stalled, diplomatic efforts expand to unlikely European players
- As U.S.-Iran talks have stalled, the Trump administration is broadening diplomatic outreach to countries that may help pressure Iran or soften its position.
- Oman, Pakistan, Turkey and Qatar continue uneven contacts with Iran, while Austria and Greece have emerged as new European interlocutors.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Austria's foreign minister in Washington and spoke with Greece's foreign minister, and both European ministers then talked with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
- The outreach comes as the U.S. and Iran are also contesting control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping route.
- Analysts said the involvement of Austria and Greece looks less like formal mediation and more like an urgent effort to stop the conflict and restart talks.
With negotiations between the United States and Iran stalled, the Trump administration is widening its diplomatic outreach beyond the usual regional intermediaries. The effort appears aimed at finding countries that can pressure Tehran or help ease its hard line after traditional channels have failed to produce progress.
The existing contacts with Iran through Oman, Pakistan, Turkey and Qatar are continuing at an uneven pace. In parallel, Austria and Greece have emerged as unexpected European players after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Austria's foreign minister in Washington and spoke with Greece's foreign minister, according to the report.
Soon after those U.S. conversations, both European foreign ministers spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The State Department said Rubio did not ask either minister to pass messages to Iran, although it acknowledged that Iran came up in the discussions.
The diplomatic maneuvering comes as the conflict has deepened around the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil route that both the U.S. and Iran are trying to influence. Analysts quoted in the story said the effort reflects urgency, but warned that countries such as Austria and Greece are not necessarily equipped to serve as full mediators.
美伊会谈停滞后，外交斡旋扩展到意外的欧洲参与者
随着美伊谈判停滞，特朗普政府正在把外交接触范围扩大到传统中间人之外，试图寻找能够向伊朗施压或缓和其强硬立场的国家。报道指出，在现有渠道未能取得进展后，这一做法体现出美国希望尽快打破僵局。
目前，阿曼、巴基斯坦、土耳其和卡塔尔仍在与伊朗保持接触，但节奏并不稳定。与此同时，奥地利和希腊成为意外出现的欧洲沟通方：美国国务卿鲁比奥先在华盛顿会见了奥地利外长，随后又与希腊外长通话。
在这些接触之后，两位欧洲外长都与伊朗外长阿拉格齐进行了交谈。美国国务院表示，鲁比奥并没有要求他们向伊朗传话，不过也承认在会谈中讨论了伊朗问题。
这轮外交动作发生在霍尔木兹海峡局势紧张之际。报道还引述分析人士称，奥地利和希腊的介入更像是推动冲突双方回到谈判桌前的紧急尝试，但这并不等同于正式斡旋，因为真正的调停需要双方建立信任。