Oman has mediated indirect talks between Iran and the US over Tehran’s nuclear program, seen as one of the last chances to deter a new US attack.
Convoys from both countries arrived for separate meetings with the sultanate’s top diplomat, Badr al-Busaidi. The talks are the first since the US hit Iranian nuclear targets in June, the final phase of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign.
Washington wants to expand talks to cover Iran’s ballistic missiles, support for armed groups in the region and “the treatment of their own people” – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday. But, after days of speculation, Iranian negotiators were satisfied that they would at least discuss the nuclear issue.
Oman’s foreign ministry published a statement saying al-Busaidi met separately with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghi, then US special representative Steve Wittkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
“With the determination of the parties to achieve their success in achieving sustainable security and stability, the consultations focused on preparing the appropriate conditions for the resumption of diplomatic and technical talks by confirming the importance of these talks,” the Omani statement said.
Although Omani officials left the palace soon after the US delegation arrived, it was not immediately clear if the talks were over for the day. These talks are taking place in the background of Trump’s repeated warnings of a military attack on Iran from America’s carrier strike group Abraham Lincoln if no progress is made. The US is increasing its naval presence in the region after last month’s bloody Iranian government crackdown on nationwide protests, raising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Iran wants assurances that the US is not using the talks as a smokescreen to impose regime change. The last talks between the two sides were suspended when Israel launched its surprise attack in June, which ended with the deaths of at least 1,000 Iranians and the destruction of three of its nuclear sites.
Ahead of the talks, Tehran said the US should drop its request for talks in Turkey in the presence of the foreign ministers of Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
The extent to which they fear that the planned attendance of Muslim foreign ministers has their national security wrapped up in a deal between the US and Iran.
Tehran has declared that it will not hesitate to attack Israeli or US military bases in the region if attacked.
Iran says the right to enrich uranium on Iranian soil – now granted in the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by Barack Obama – is non-negotiable. The best source of compromise would be for Iran to agree to halt its plans to enrich uranium for a set number of years and to form a regional consortium to enrich uranium, bringing the region closer to a comprehensive civilian nuclear program.
Iran is also seeking sanctions relief in exchange for a new inspection regime at its nuclear sites. The rial’s value against the dollar has halved since Israeli strikes in June and Iran’s living standards have worsened with runaway food inflation of more than 100%, the spark for the demonstrations that erupted in late December. Security personnel responded with a brutal crackdown.
Trump at one stage encouraged the protesters “Help is on its way”but the US held back from attacking Iran because Israel and the US military did not feel fully prepared to withstand Iranian retaliation.
