US President Donald Trump's administration appointed veteran State Department diplomat Michael Anton to head the country's negotiating team in technical discussions with Iran regarding its nuclear activities, Politico reported on Thursday, citing two US officials.
Anton, who serves as the State Department's director of policy planning, is guiding a team of approximately twelve, primarily career officials from various agencies to develop the specifics of a deal that would impose major restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief.
He will head the initial phase of specialist discussions with Iranian representatives during the weekend ahead of next week's Rome meeting between special delegate Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Anton joined Witkoff at the previous Rome discussions.
