US‑Iran nuclear talks in Muscat: Progress amid indirect diplomacy
On Saturday in Muscat, the capital of Oman, a meeting between representatives of the Iranian and United States authorities concluded, reported AFP, citing diplomatic sources from Tehran.
The main topics of discussion were bilateral relations and the future of the Iranian nuclear programme.
Negotiations between the US and Iran
According to AFP, there was a direct conversation for several minutes between members of both delegations in the presence of Oman's Foreign Minister, Badr al-Busaidi, who hosted the meeting.
Most of the talks, however, were indirect – the parties were in separate rooms, with communication conducted by the Omani diplomat.
The Iranian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while the American side was headed by President Donald Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. Both parties confirmed that another meeting is scheduled for next week.
Both the Iranian and Omani sides assessed Saturday’s talks as constructive and conducted in a positive atmosphere.
Talks will continue
Oman's Foreign Minister, Badr al-Busaidi, reported that Saturday's meeting of the Iranian and US authorities' delegations in Muscat passed in a friendly atmosphere conducive to the exchange of views.
According to Reuters, the whole meeting lasted over two and a half hours and was conducted mainly in an indirect format. Only at the end did a brief face-to-face conversation take place between Araghchi and Witkoff, in the presence of the Omani minister.
Abbas Araghchi noted that this was the first high-level conversation between Iranian and US representatives in years. Iranian sources announced the continuation of talks in the coming days.
