DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's president said Tuesday that he instructed the country’s foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the United States, the first clear sign from Tehran it wants to try to negotiate as tensions remain high with Washington after the Mideast country's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month.
The announcement marked a major turn for reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who broadly had warned Iranians for weeks that the turmoil in his country had gone beyond his control. It also signals that the president received support from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for talks that the 86-year-old cleric previously had dismissed.
Turkey had been working behind the scenes to make the talks happen there later this week as U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff is traveling in the region.
But whether Iran and the U.S. can reach an agreement remains to be seen, particularly as President Donald Trump now has included Iran's nuclear program in a list of demands from Tehran in any talks. Trump ordered the bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day war Israel launched against Iran in June.
Writing on X, Pezeshkian said in English and Farsi that the decision came after “requests from friendly governments in the region to respond to the proposal by the President of the United States for negotiations.”
“I have instructed my Minister of Foreign Affairs, provided that a suitable environment exists — one free from threats and unreasonable expectations — to pursue fair and equitable negotiations, guided by the principles of dignity, prudence, and expediency,” he said.
The U.S. has yet to acknowledge the talks will take place. A semiofficial news agency in Iran on Monday reported — then later deleted without explanation — that Pezeshkian had issued such an order to Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who held multiple rounds of talks with Witkoff before the 12-day war.
Late Monday, the pan-Arab satellite channel Al Mayadeen, which is politically allied with the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, aired an interview with Ali Shamkhani, a top Khamenei adviser on security.
Shamkhani, who now sits on the country’s Supreme National Security Council and who in the 1980s led Iran's navy, wore a naval uniform as he spoke.
He suggested if the talks happened, they would be indirect at the beginning, then moving to direct talks if a deal appeared to be attainable. Direct talks with the U.S. long have been a highly charged political issue within Iran's theocracy, with reformists like Pezeshkian pushing for them and hard-liners dismissing them.
The talks would solely focus on nuclear issues, he added.
Asked about whether Russia could take Iran's enriched uranium like it did in Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Shamkhani dismissed the idea, saying there was “no reason” to do so. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday said Russia had “long offered these services as a possible option that would alleviate certain irritants for a number of countries.”
“Iran does not seek nuclear weapons, will not seek a nuclear weapon and will never stockpile nuclear weapons, but the other side must pay a price in return for this," he said.
Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels. The International Atomic Energy Agency had said Iran was the only country in the world to enrich to that level that wasn't armed with the bomb.
Iran has been refusing requests by the IAEA to inspect the sites bombed in the June war.
“The quantity of enriched uranium remains unknown, because part of the stockpile is under rubble, and there is no initiative yet to extract it, as it is extremely dangerous," Shamkhani said.
Witkoff is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli security officials on Tuesday, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly about the talks and spoke on condition of anonymity. He will travel to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, later in the week for Russia-Ukraine talks, the official said.
“We have talks going on with Iran, we’ll see how it all works out,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. Asked what his threshold was for military action against Iran, he declined to elaborate.
“I’d like to see a deal negotiated,” Trump said. “Right now, we’re talking to them, we’re talking to Iran, and if we could work something out, that’d be great. And if we can’t, probably bad things would happen.”
Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani, Matthew Lee and Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report.
FILE - Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, attends the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, on Sept. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, File)
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Maybe the game itself will live up to the hype, because Super Bowl Opening Night was calmer than usual.
Drake Maye and the New England Patriots (17-3) take on Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.
The media frenzy that kicks off the week’s festivities on Monday night was smaller, quieter and far less outrageous than recent years.
The crowd inside the San Jose Convention Center was a fraction of its usual size — Opening Night has previously been held in larger arenas. More than 2,000 reporters from across the globe were credentialed to cover the typically zany event, and the league expects 6,500 media members to cover the game and various events surrounding it.
There was no sign of the naked man in a barrel. Nobody wore a wedding dress and proposed to Maye. Reporters weren't asking players to dance or perform odd tricks. One guy did dress up as Charizard, a Pokemon character.
Still, it wasn't all football and X's and O's.
Maye was asked about his wife, Ann Michael Maye, and her popular baking videos on social media.
“Keep being you,” he said. “You’re the better half of me and I love you. It’s such a special moment for me to follow your journey. I know you do it for something bigger than yourself and that’s what makes it special.”
Darnold was asked to name his favorite coffee spot, burger joint, hobby and food.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel refused to compare Maye to Tom Brady and was asked several questions about playing for Bill Belichick. He had fun with a reporter from Nickelodeon who presented him with a purple-and-green chain that read, “Slime.” Vrabel wore it but feared he'd get that green, gooey stuff splashed all over his head.
“Why do you keep looking up? Am I about to get slimed?” he said.
Assured he wasn't, Vrabel was asked if there's one player he would want to slime.
“Stefon Diggs,” he said without hesitation.
Diggs, the standout receiver, was full of praise for his coach.
“I’ve had great coaches but this guy played the game, he knows we’re gonna grind and he takes care of us,” Diggs said.
The Patriots spent one hour fielding questions before giving way to the Seahawks, who took the stage an hour after New England concluded.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, a finalist along with Vrabel for AP NFL Coach of the Year, was asked if he considered signing Marshawn Lynch to a one-day contract to give him an opportunity to score a 1-yard touchdown.
This is a Super Bowl matchup that produced one of the most memorable endings among the first 59. The Patriots beat the Seahawks 28-24 when Malcolm Butler picked off Russell Wilson’s pass from the 1 in the final minute on Feb. 1, 2015. Seahawks fans still lament the fact Lynch didn't get the ball in that spot.
“I love Beast Mode,” Macdonald said. “Just the fact that he knows me and he texts me. ... That's how you want Seahawk football to look like Marhsawn.”
An event that began as a daytime introduction of the teams has evolved into a live, ticketed, prime-time showcase on national television.
The Patriots are aiming for an NFL-record seventh Lombardi trophy and first without Brady and Belichick.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a linebacker with New England, inherited a 4-13 team and has the Patriots on the verge of their first championship parade in seven years.
Maye had a sensational sophomore season, becoming a finalist for the AP NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards while leading the Patriots to their 12th Super Bowl.
A stifling defense has led the way for the Patriots in the playoffs, holding three opponents to just 8.7 points per game.
The Seahawks had the NFL’s stingiest defense, led by tackle Leonard Williams, linebacker Ernest Jones IV and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Seattle allowed just 17.1 points per game.
But Darnold’s resurgence will be the top storyline of the week. A No. 3 overall pick by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold is thriving on his fifth team.
Despite winning 14 games with Minnesota in 2024, the Vikings let Darnold walk away in free agency. He became the first quarterback to lead two teams to consecutive 14-win seasons and has proved his doubters wrong. Now, he’s trying to help Seattle win its second Super Bowl in the franchise’s fourth appearance in the game.
At least Darnold has experienced this week’s shenanigans. He was a backup to Brock Purdy when the 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago.
“The reason why this is so special is because of the process and what it took to get here,” Darnold said.
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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif., ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The New England Patriots mascot entertains during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye laughs during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold arrives, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye arrives, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
