The United States and Iran are preparing for renewed high-level talks in the coming days, as both sides signal openness to diplomacy while navigating deep mistrust, unresolved disputes over logistics, and rising regional tensions. With the venue and format of the talks still under negotiation, military frictions on the ground and pressure from regional allies are adding complexity to an already fragile diplomatic process.

Talks expected soon, details still under negotiation

Momentum is building toward a new round of engagement between the United States and Iran, with officials from both sides confirming that talks are expected to take place in the coming days.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said negotiations with Iran are ongoing and expressed hope that they could lead to a concrete outcome. Trump said Tehran has shown willingness to engage and noted that discussions would involve more than one meeting, while declining to disclose specific details about timing and location.

Iran's Foreign Ministry echoed the expectation that talks are imminent, saying a negotiation plan has already been formulated. The ministry said consultations are underway to finalize logistical arrangements, including the location, and stressed that several regional countries have expressed readiness to host the talks. Once details are finalized, Tehran said, they will be announced publicly.

Earlier in the day, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he had instructed the Foreign Ministry to pursue "fair and equitable" negotiations with the United States. Writing on social media platform X, Pezeshkian said the move followed requests from regional governments to respond to a negotiation proposal from Trump. He said any talks must take place within a framework of "dignity, prudence and expediency."

According to information obtained by China Media Group (CMG), the U.S. president's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were initially expected to meet on February 6 in Istanbul to discuss a possible nuclear-related agreement. However, Iranian officials have since requested changes to both the venue and format of the talks. Iran has proposed relocating the meeting from Istanbul to Oman and holding the talks in a strictly bilateral format rather than a broader format involving Arab and Muslim states.

In response, the White House said that despite Iran's request to adjust the location and structure, talks between the two sides are still planned for this week.

Drone, tanker incidents raise stakes ahead of talks

The diplomatic push comes against a backdrop of continued military tension, underscoring the challenges facing negotiators. Tuesday's encounter involving U.S. and Iranian drones has drawn renewed attention to the risk of escalation, even as both governments publicly emphasize diplomacy.

A drone belonging to Iran's armed forces completed a "surveillance mission" in international waters Tuesday, Iranian media reported, shortly after the U.S. military said it had shot down an Iranian aircraft that "aggressively approached" an aircraft carrier.

Citing unnamed sources, the Fars news agency reported that the drone "successfully" monitored military movements in areas adjacent to Iran and transmitted data to ground bases in real time. The report described such missions as vital for the "overall monitoring" of the region.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted an informed source as saying that Iran had lost contact with one of its drones, the cause of which is under investigation and will be announced once it is determined.

The U.S. Central Command said earlier in the day that a U.S. F-35C warplane "was forced" to shoot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone in the Arabian Sea. The command said the drone had "unnecessarily maneuvered" toward the USS Abraham Lincoln while the carrier was transiting international waters approximately 800 km from the Iranian coast.

According to the U.S. statement, the drone was shot down in "an act of self-defense." No U.S. troops were injured, and no equipment was damaged in the encounter, the military said.

Hours later, tensions extended to the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. A spokesperson for U.S. Central Command said that two vessels belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, along with an Iranian drone, rapidly approached a U.S.-flagged oil tanker crewed by American personnel and threatened to board and seize the vessel.

According to the U.S. military, the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul, operating in the area, responded immediately and escorted the tanker with support from the U.S. Air Force. The situation was subsequently de-escalated, and the tanker continued its voyage safely.

Iranian officials offered a different account, saying a vessel had illegally entered Iranian territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz without proper navigation permits. Iranian maritime patrol units issued warnings, after which the vessel left Iranian waters.

Israel voices skepticism in high-level talks with Washington

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday held more than three hours of talks with visiting Witkoff, joined by senior Israeli defense and intelligence officials.

According to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu told the U.S. side that Iran has repeatedly proven itself untrustworthy and incapable of honoring commitments.

CMG reporters learned earlier that Israel might demand three core conditions in any U.S.-Iran deal: that Iran abandon any nuclear weapons ambitions, halt the development of ballistic missiles, and cease support for armed groups viewed by Israel as hostile proxies.

The Israeli side, the source added, emphasized that military options should remain on the table should diplomacy fail.

Türkiye willing to offer mediation

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said Türkiye is willing to play a mediating role between the United States and Iran, stressing opposition to any action that could push the region toward conflict.

"We confirm that we are ready to play the role of mediator between Iran and the United States to reduce tensions and resolve problems, and we will continue our contacts in this direction," Erdogan said.

He added that Türkiye has expressed its opposition to any military steps against Iran on all platforms.