Iran, US resume Nuclear diplomacy with talks scheduled in Oman
Iran has confirmed that fresh nuclear negotiations with the United States will take place on Friday in Muscat, Oman, signaling a renewed diplomatic push amid heightened regional tensions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced late Wednesday that the talks would begin at 10:00 a.m. local time (06:00 GMT), putting to rest earlier reports that the meeting was in doubt due to disagreements over its format and venue.
“I’m grateful to our Omani brothers for making all necessary arrangements,” Araghchi said in a post on social media, acknowledging Oman’s role in facilitating the discussions.
Earlier this week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he had directed the foreign minister to pursue what he described as “fair and equitable negotiations,” underscoring Tehran’s stated willingness to re-engage diplomatically.
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Washington has also confirmed its participation in the talks. A White House official, quoted by the Associated Press, said the United States agreed to hold the high-level meeting in Oman rather than Turkiye, which had initially been considered.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, mediators from Qatar, Turkiye, and Egypt have proposed a framework outlining key principles for discussion. These reportedly include a commitment by Iran to significantly curb uranium enrichment, alongside possible restrictions on ballistic missile activities and limits on the arming of Iran’s regional allies. A senior diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks, confirmed the outlines of the proposal to Al Jazeera.
The renewed dialogue comes at a tense moment, with the Middle East on edge following reports of a possible US military strike on Iran. US President Donald Trump recently ordered American forces to amass in the Arabian Sea after Iran’s violent crackdown on protesters last month.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington intends to raise broader concerns beyond Iran’s nuclear programme, including Tehran’s ballistic missile development, support for proxy groups across the region, and its human rights record.
“The leadership of Iran at the clerical level does not reflect the people of Iran,” Rubio told reporters. “I know of no other country where there’s a bigger difference between the people who lead the country and the people who live there.”
READ ALSO: Iran demands compensation as condition for resuming nuclear talks with US
Iran and the United States have had no formal diplomatic relations since 1980, but have held intermittent talks over the years in an effort to reduce tensions. In June, officials from both countries met in Muscat to discuss reviving a nuclear agreement, but those efforts stalled after Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting the US to briefly join the conflict by bombing several Iranian nuclear facilities.
Friday’s meeting is widely seen as a critical test of whether diplomacy can regain traction amid escalating mistrust and regional instability.
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