MUSCAT : Araghchi confirmed that the talks would go ahead after earlier reports suggested the meeting was at risk due to disagreements over its format and location. In a post on social media, he expressed gratitude to Oman for facilitating the discussions, saying he was “grateful to our Omani brothers for making all necessary arrangements”.
The announcement comes a day after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he had instructed the foreign minister to pursue “fair and equitable negotiations”, signalling Tehran’s willingness to re-engage diplomatically.
Washington has also confirmed its participation in the talks, with a White House official telling the Associated Press that the meeting will take place in Oman instead of Türkiye, as originally planned.
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According to sources familiar with the negotiations cited by Al Jazeera, mediators from Qatar, Türkiye and Egypt have proposed a framework of key principles for discussion. These include a commitment by Iran to significantly limit its uranium enrichment, alongside restrictions related to ballistic missile use and the arming of Iran’s regional allies. One of the sources, a senior diplomat, spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.
The renewed diplomatic push comes against a backdrop of heightened regional tension. The United States has increased its military presence in the Arabian Sea following a violent crackdown on protesters in Iran last month, fuelling concerns over a potential escalation. US President Donald Trump has ordered forces to amass in the region, raising fears of a possible confrontation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington hopes the talks will go beyond Iran’s nuclear programme to address wider concerns, including ballistic missiles, Iran’s support for proxy groups and its domestic human rights record. Speaking to reporters, Rubio said Iran’s clerical leadership did not reflect the will of its people.
Iran and the United States have had no official diplomatic relations since 1980, but have held intermittent talks in recent years in an effort to revive diplomacy. In June 2025, officials from both sides met in Muscat to discuss a potential nuclear agreement, but progress stalled after Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting the US to briefly join the conflict by striking several Iranian nuclear sites.
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