Failure Of Back-Channel Talks Sparked US Strikes On Iran? What We Know About West Asia Escalation

Last Updated:June 22, 2025, 13:14 IST

Trump said he would make a decision on US action in two weeks, but ordered strikes on Iran's nuclear sites in two days after back-channel talks with Iranian leaders failed.

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump (Reuters File Image)

Tensions escalated dramatically in the Middle East after US President Donald Trump announced that the United States had completed a “very successful attack" on three nuclear sites in Iran – including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

This came a day after Trump said he should get a Nobel Peace Prize for his role as a “peacemaker" for stopping global conflicts, including the recent one between India and Pakistan. He had given Iran two weeks’ time before US military action, but changed his mind in two days.

Trump hailed the US airstrikes a “spectacular military success" and said Iran’s nuclear sites had been obliterated. “Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace," he added, warning of more intense strikes. FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES

What Made Trump Order Strikes On Iran?

Trump said he would make a decision on US action in two weeks, but preparations for a strike accelerated dramatically as multiple B-2 stealth bombers carrying “bunker-buster" bombs to target the underground facility of Fordow headed across the Pacific.

According to a report by Axios, Trump made a final attempt to prevent US intervention by pursuing a backchannel meeting with Iranian officials in Istanbul this week, facilitated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Trump was willing to send White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance, or even attend the talks himself if required. However, these efforts collapsed when Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is in hiding over fears of Israeli assassination, could not be reached, according to three US officials familiar with the matter.

Since the failure of direct talks, Trump and senior White House officials became less confident that a diplomatic solution was possible and more convinced that the US would have to join the war to dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme.

Erdogan’s Proposal

Erdoğan proposed hosting a meeting in Istanbul the next day between US and Iranian officials to explore a diplomatic solution to the war. Trump agreed to even travel to Turkey to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to do what was necessary to clinch a deal.

Officials said a serious plan was devised to send Witkoff and Vance for the talks. Turkey relayed the proposal to Pezeshkian and Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, but Khamenei could not be reached. After several hours, Iran informed Turkey that they could not get Khamenei’s approval and the talks were cancelled, sources told Axios.

Shortly afterwards, Trump said on his Truth Social platform, “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!"

Trump’s decision to intervene in the 10-day conflict between Israel and Iran marked a historical escalation in the West Asian conflict, sparking fears of Iranian retaliation against US troops and military installations in the region.

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation confirmed the three nuclear sites were attacked and condemned “the American enemy" for a “brutal act that contradicts international laws." It said no radioactive contamination was detected after the strikes and the US strikes would not deter Iran’s nuclear programme.

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

News world Diplomatic Failure, Khamenei's Silence: What Led To US Attack On Iran's Nuclear Sites?