US-Israel, Iran conflict: First direct contact between Washington & Tehran takes place since 28 February, says report

A direct line of communication between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has recently been restored, reported Axios on Monday, citing a US official and an informed source.

Axios noted that it remains unclear how detailed or significant the exchanges between Araghchi and Witkoff have been, marking the first known direct contact since the US–Israel conflict with Iran began on 28 February.

According to Axios, sources indicated that Araghchi had sent text messages to Witkoff, though a US official emphasised that Washington was “not talking” to Tehran. Earlier, the Drop Site News outlet reported that Witkoff had reached out to Araghchi, with Iranian officials saying the minister was disregarding those messages.

(LiveMint couldn't independently verify the authenticity of it)

US-Israel, Iran conflict

United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran and targeted Iranian leadership and strategic military sites, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top officials as part of Operation Epic Fury. The attacks marked a major escalation after years of tension, failed negotiations.

Iran responded quickly with missile and drone strikes against Israeli territory, US bases in the Middle East, and allied Gulf countries. The rapid retaliation widened the conflict, drawing in Iran-linked groups like Hezbollah, which prompted further Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. The fighting spread across multiple fronts, including significant attacks on US military installations in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE.

The conflict has had major regional and global consequences. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route, has been disrupted, pushing oil and gas prices higher. Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced or killed, particularly in Iran and Lebanon. Over 200 US troops have been wounded in retaliatory attacks across seven countries, reported The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a source.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he is unsure whether Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive, and noted that Washington does not know who it could negotiate with in Tehran.

"We don't know... if he's dead or not," Trump told reporters at the White House, according to AFP.

He called on US allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, after European nations ruled out a NATO mission to reopen the critical waterway that Iran had closed during the Middle East war. Trump also urged greater "enthusiasm" from other countries, saying he believed France and Britain would participate, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) issued a warning saying they could strike US companies and their facilities across the region, and urged employees to leave those locations immediately.

"Employees of American companies... are requested to leave these areas immediately. These areas will soon be targeted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," said the Guards in on their official Sepah News website.