The United States and Iran are set to resume direct negotiations this Sunday in Muscat, the capital of Oman, according to an official announcement by the Omani Foreign Ministry. The upcoming talks mark a new round of diplomacy aimed at reviving nuclear discussions between the two long-time adversaries.
As reported by Axios, U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff is scheduled to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss Tehran’s response to Washington’s latest proposal on the nuclear file.
This will be the sixth round of talks since April 13, which both sides have described as "positive" but which have so far failed to produce a breakthrough. The primary sticking point remains uranium enrichment. While Tehran insists on its sovereign right to enrich uranium, the Trump administration maintains that such activity is a red line.
Iran threatened Wednesday to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out, while President Donald Trump said he was "less confident" about reaching a nuclear deal.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly pointed out that Iran is the only non-nuclear-armed nation enriching uranium to 60% purity — far beyond the 3.67% limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal, which the U.S. unilaterally exited during Trump’s first term.
With tensions in the Middle East running high, Muscat is once again playing host to sensitive back-channel diplomacy between Washington and Tehran.
Comments