Iran, US in indirect nuclear talks in Oman amid rising regional tensions

Iran and the United States initiated high-level talks in Oman on Saturday, aiming to revive negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme. 

The discussions come amid escalating tensions, with US President Donald Trump warning of potential military action if no agreement is reached. 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei says “indirect talks” between Araghchi and Witkoff have begun, with the mediation of Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi.

“These talks will be held at a location planned by the Omani hosts with representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States seated in separate rooms,” Baghaei said in a post on social media.

Iran’s delegation is led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, while the US side is represented by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Iran approached the talks with scepticism, wary of the prospects for a deal and distrustful of Trump, who has repeatedly threatened military strikes against Iran unless it halts its escalating uranium enrichment activities. While both sides have expressed optimism about potential progress, significant gaps remain. A key sticking point is the format of the talks: Trump insists on face-to-face negotiations, whereas Iran prefers indirect discussions mediated by Oman.

Ahead of the talks, Iranian state television posted footage of Araqchi meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi in Muscat. According to Iranian state media, Araqchi outlined Tehran’s key positions during the meeting, which Oman will convey to the US delegation as part of the indirect talks.

The talks come at a critical juncture for the Middle East, a region embroiled in multiple conflicts since 2023. Wars in Gaza and Lebanon, missile exchanges between Iran and Israel, Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, and the collapse of Syria’s government under Bashar al-Assad have heightened fears of a broader regional conflagration. Success in these negotiations could help de-escalate tensions, but failure risks exacerbating instability in a region crucial to global oil supplies.

Tehran has warned neighbouring countries hosting US military bases of “severe consequences” if they are implicated in any potential US attack on Iran. 

Speaking to Iranian TV, Araqchi emphasised the need for the US to approach the talks with an “equal stance” for meaningful progress. He described the meeting as preliminary, stating that fundamental issues would be clarified, including whether there is sufficient political will on both sides to move forward.

“It’s too early to comment on the duration of the talks,” Araqchi said. “This is the first meeting, and in it, many initial issues will be clarified.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority in the Islamic Republic, has granted Araqchi “full authority” to negotiate, according to an Iranian official. However, Tehran has ruled out discussing its defence capabilities, including its ballistic missile program.

The dispute over Iran’s nuclear ambitions dates back decades. While Iran insists its nuclear program is solely for civilian energy purposes, Western nations and Israel accuse Tehran of covertly pursuing the capability to develop nuclear weapons. 

Since the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) under Trump in 2018 and re-imposed crippling sanctions, Iran’s nuclear program has surged. It now enriches uranium to 60% fissile purity, just a technical step away from weapons-grade levels. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that the talks would lead to peace, reaffirming Washington’s stance: “We’ve been very clear—what Iran is never going to have is a nuclear weapon, and I think that’s what led to this meeting.”

Washington’s closest ally in the region, Israel, views Iran’s nuclear programme as an existential threat. Israeli leaders have long warned of potential military action if diplomacy fails to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Over the past 18 months, Iran’s influence in the Middle East has waned significantly. Its regional allies, collectively known as the “Axis of Resistance,” have been dismantled or weakened. This decline stems from the ongoing Hamas-Israel war in Gaza and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria in December 2024.

The talks in Oman represent a fragile yet crucial opportunity to address one of the most pressing security challenges in the Middle East. Success could pave the way for further negotiations and regional stability, but failure could push the region closer to conflict, with global implications for energy markets and geopolitical stability.