Iran, US to Start Talks on Nuclear Programme in Oman Amid Regional Conflict

 

Iran, US to Start Talks on Nuclear Programme in Oman Amid Regional Conflict Iran and the United States are set to engage in high-level discussions in Oman on Saturday, aiming to revive negotiations over Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. The talks occur against a backdrop of escalating regional tensions, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening military action if a deal is not reached. According to Iranian media sources, delegations from both countries have arrived in Muscat for the negotiations. The Iranian side is led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, while Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, will represent the United States. Iran approaches these talks with caution, expressing skepticism about their potential for success. There is a pervasive distrust of Trump, who has repeatedly issued threats of military action against Iran if it does not cease its nuclear activities. Despite each side signaling a willingness to discuss the situation, significant disparities remain, particularly regarding whether the meetings will be direct, as Trump prefers, or indirect, as Iran seeks. See also: (In the United States)Gutting NOAA: Trump's Administration Plans to End Climate Research Support.

Successful discussions could help ease heightened tensions in a region marred by conflict since 2023, characterized by wars in Gaza and Lebanon, missile exchanges between Iran and Israel, attacks by Houthi forces on shipping in the Red Sea, and instability in Syria. Conversely, failure to reach an agreement could exacerbate fears of a broader conflict, particularly within a region crucial to global oil exports. Iran has warned neighboring countries hosting U.S. military bases that they would face "severe consequences" if they participated in any U.S. attack on Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has granted Araqchi "full authority" to negotiate, according to an Iranian official. "The duration of the talks, which will focus only on the nuclear issue, will depend on the U.S. side's seriousness and goodwill," the official stated anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the discussions. Iran has firmly ruled out any negotiations concerning its defense capabilities, including its missile program.

DECADES-LONG DISPUTE Iran has consistently asserted that its nuclear program is intended solely for civilian purposes, while Western nations suspect that its true aim is to develop an atomic bomb. They argue that Iran's uranium enrichment activities have far exceeded what would be necessary for a civilian program, with stocks approaching the fissile purity levels required for weapons. Since Trump reinstated a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran following his withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement with six world powers in 2018, Iran's nuclear program has progressed significantly. This includes increasing uranium enrichment to 60%, a step away from the levels needed to produce a nuclear bomb.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope on Thursday that the forthcoming talks would contribute to peace, emphasizing that "We've been very clear that Iran is never going to have a nuclear weapon, and I think that's what led to this meeting." In response, Tehran indicated it was offering the United States a "genuine chance" to negotiate despite what it termed Washington's "prevailing confrontational hoopla." Israel, a key U.S. ally, views Iran's nuclear program as an existential threat and has long threatened military action should diplomatic efforts fail to restrict Iran's nuclear ambitions. The influence of Tehran in the Middle East has significantly diminished, with its regional allies—collectively known as the "Axis of Resistance," including groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Shi'ite militias in Iraq and Syria—suffering during the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and the upheaval in Syria.