The United States and Iran on Saturday began „indirect“ negotiations on a new nuclear deal in the Gulf Arab nation of Oman.
April 12 The United States and Iran on Saturday began „indirect“ negotiations on a new nuclear deal in the Gulf Arab nation of Oman.
Before the talks, both sides‘ leaders issued warnings. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military strikes and Tehran warned any attack would put the United States into a broader conflict in the Middle East.
It was the first high-level talks between the two nations since 2018 when Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal during his first term as president.
Iran’s foreign ministry said the talks lasted for 2 1/2 hours and both sides agreed to continue them next week, Al Jazeera reported.
The negotiations were conducted „in a constructive atmosphere and based on mutual respect“, the ministry said.
The two sides were in separate rooms and gave their views to the mediator. But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff „spoke for several minutes in the presence of the Omani foreign minister [Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi] while leaving the negotiations venue“, Iran’s foreign ministry said.
Araghchi said he was seeking an „initial understanding“ with the United States that could lead to a negotiations process upon arriving in the Omani capital Muscat.
„It is our intention to reach a fair and honorable agreement on equal standing“, he said, according to Iran’s state-run Tasnim News Agency.
He said it was „too early“ to speak about a timetable for the talks and it depends on „sufficient will on both sides.“
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi mediated the „indirect talks“ that began between Araghchi and Witkoff, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei posted on X.
„Iran’s diplomacy is at work with respect to regional peace and stability“, Baqaei said.
He added that Araghchi will be visiting Jordan, Egypt and Turkey „as part of our diplomatic reach-out to countries of the region to end genocide, atrocity and aggression.
