A direct communications channel between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reportedly been reactivated in recent days, according to a US official and a source familiar with the matter.

The development marks the first known direct contact between the two sides since the war began more than two weeks ago, The Caspian Post reports, citing Axios.

According to the sources, Araghchi sent text messages to Witkoff focusing on efforts to end the conflict. However, it remains unclear how substantive the exchanges were or whether they have led to any concrete diplomatic progress.

Earlier, Drop Site News reported that Witkoff had sent messages to the Iranian foreign minister, citing Iranian officials who claimed Araghchi had ignored the White House envoy’s communications.

A US official, however, disputed that account, telling Axios that it was Araghchi who had attempted to engage with Witkoff, while stressing that the United States “is not talking” to Iran.

Neither source provided details about how many messages were exchanged or the specific content of the communication.