Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi looks on before a meeting with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in Tehran, Iran, Aug. 26, 2024. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iran will consider the “opportunities” as well as the threats in a letter from US President Donald Trump that urged it to reach a new nuclear deal, and will soon respond, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday.

Iran‘s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected Trump‘s letter last week as deceptive, saying Trump‘s excessive demands would “tighten the knot of sanctions and increase pressure on Iran.”

But Araqchi said Tehran was still evaluating the letter and weighing its reply.

“Trump’s letter was more a threat, but it claims to have opportunities. We paid attention to all points held in the letter and will consider both threat and opportunity in our response,” Araqchi said.

“There is an opportunity behind every menace.”

On Wednesday, Axios reported that Trump‘s letter gave Iran a two-month deadline to reach a nuclear deal or face stricter sanctions under the US President’s renewed “maximum pressure” campaign.

Araqchi said Tehran would respond to Trump‘s letter in the coming days via appropriate channels, rejecting any direct negotiations as long as Washington levels “pressure, threats, and sanctions.”

In his first term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and major powers that had placed temporary limits on Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits in the development of its nuclear program.

Western powers accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons by enriching uranium up to 60 percent purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian program.

Tehran says the development of its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and that it respects its commitments under international law.

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Members of the Taliban carrying flags participate in a rally to mark the third anniversary of the fall of Kabul, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 14, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Sayed Hassib

The Taliban on Thursday freed an American citizen detained in Afghanistan for over two years following direct talks between US hostage envoy Adam Boehler and Taliban officials in Kabul, a source briefed on the release told Reuters.

George Glezmann, who was detained in 2022 while visiting Kabul as a tourist, left Afghanistan aboard a Qatari aircraft on Thursday evening bound for Qatar, the source said. Glezmann and Boehler are expected to later travel onward to the United States.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement on Thursday confirming Glezmann‘s release.

Thursday’s meeting in Kabul marked the highest-level direct talks between the United States and the Taliban since President Donald Trump came to power in January.

Boehler met with the Taliban administration’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, according to a statement by the Afghan foreign ministry.

“During this meeting, discussions were held on Afghanistan-US bilateral relations, the release of prisoners, and the provision of consular services to Afghans in the United States,” the statement said.

It added that the meeting was also attended by former US special representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad.

Qatar, a Gulf Arab state which represents US diplomatic interests in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, said in a statement posted on X that it had facilitated Glezmann‘s release.

The source said that Qatar coordinated with Boehler to negotiate with the Taliban authorities.

“Following weeks of negotiations, a breakthrough was made by the Qataris during recent meetings with the Taliban,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

TALIBAN ‘GOODWILL GESTURE’

In a statement, the Taliban called Glezmann‘s release a “goodwill gesture” reflecting its willingness to engage with the United States “on the basis of mutual respect and interests.”

The source said that the release was not part of a deal to free any Afghan detainees held by the US in exchange.

The US in January freed an Afghan convicted by an American court on charges of drug smuggling and terrorism in exchange for two US citizens held in Afghanistan.

Qatari officials were also involved in negotiations for that deal, which began during the administration of former US president Joe Biden and led to the release of two Americans, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

A third American citizen, Mahmood Habibi, is thought to remain in custody in Afghanistan.

BOEHLER’S HIGH LEVEL DIPLOMACY

Glezmann was the second high-profile release of a US citizen held overseas secured amid diplomacy by Boehler.

Boehler was involved in efforts that led to the release of American school teacher Marc Fogel from Russia last month.

In addition, Boehler has held direct talks with Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in an effort to secure the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza. He also traveled to Iraq last month to push for the release of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, a student at Princeton University.

Glezmann, a mechanic for Delta Airlines in Atlanta, was visiting Kabul as a tourist when he was detained by the Taliban in December 2022, according to the Foley Foundation, which monitors cases of Americans detained overseas.

The foundation said Glezmann had been in sporadic telephone contact with his wife since he was detained, and that he had health conditions that deteriorated while in detention.

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Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends an interview with Reuters at the presidential palace, in Damascus, Syria, March 10, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

President Vladimir Putin sent a message to Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa backing efforts to ensure Syria’s territorial integrity and offering Russia’s “practical cooperation” on a whole range of issues, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

The fall in December of President Bashar al-Assad to rebels led by Sharaa after 13 years of civil war has forced Russia to scramble to secure its bases in the country. Moscow is also concerned by a wave of sectarian killings in Syria.

Putin told Sharaa he supported “efforts to stabilize the situation in the country as soon as possible in the interests of ensuring its sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Russian news agencies.

Putin confirmed “Russia’s continuing readiness to develop practical cooperation with the Syrian leadership on the whole range of issues on the bilateral agenda in order to strengthen traditionally friendly Russian-Syrian relations,” Peskov said.

The Kremlin, which was a key ally of the formerly ruling Assad family for over 50 years, said earlier this month that it wanted to see a united and “friendly” Syria because instability there could affect the whole of the Middle East.

Reuters reported in December that Russia was pulling back forces from front lines in northern Syria and from posts in mountains dominated by Assad’s Alawite community, but was not leaving its two main bases on the Mediterranean coast – the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia and the naval facility in Tartous.

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