Iran, U.S. have began negotiations in Oman over Tehran’s quickly advancing nuclear program

Envoys from Iran and the USA started negotiations Saturday in Oman over Tehran’s quickly advancing nuclear program.

No general settlement is straight away seemingly, however the stakes of the negotiations could not be greater for these two nations closing in on half a century of enmity. President Trump repeatedly has threatened to unleash airstrikes concentrating on Iran’s nuclear program if a deal is not reached. Iranian officers more and more warn that they might pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to close weapons-grade ranges.

Flight-tracking information analyzed by The Related Press confirmed a non-public jet from Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, arrived in Oman on Saturday morning. U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff had simply met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday there.

In the meantime, Iran’s Overseas Ministry launched footage of Tehran’s prime diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, assembly with Omani Overseas Minister Badr al-Busaidi. Iran’s state-run IRNA information company reported that Araghchi offered Iran’s “stance and key factors for the talks to be conveyed to the U.S. facet.”

IRNA’s report instructed the assembly could be held later Saturday.

Related Press journalists noticed a convoy believed to be carrying Witkoff leaving the Omani Overseas Ministry after which velocity off into the outskirts of Muscat. The convoy went right into a compound and some minutes later, Iranian Overseas Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei wrote on the social platform X that the “oblique talks” had begun.

“These talks will likely be held at a location deliberate by the Omani host, with representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the USA seated within the halls and sides, conveying their factors of view and positions to one another by means of the Omani Overseas Minister,” Baghaei wrote.

Araghchi earlier spoke to Iranian journalists.

“If there’s adequate will on either side, we are going to resolve on a timetable. However it’s nonetheless too early to speak about that,” Araghchi mentioned, in an audio clip revealed by IRNA. “What is obvious now’s that the negotiations are oblique, and in our view solely on the nuclear concern, and will likely be carried out with the mandatory will to achieve an settlement that’s on an equal footing and results in securing the nationwide pursuits of the Iranian folks.”

Trump and Witkoff each have described the talks as being “direct.”

“I believe our place begins with dismantlement of your program. That’s our place in the present day,” Witkoff advised The Wall Avenue Journal earlier than his journey. “That does not imply, by the best way, that on the margin we’re not going to search out different methods to search out compromise between the 2 nations.”

He added: “The place our pink line will likely be, there cannot be weaponization of your nuclear functionality.”

Whereas the U.S. facet can supply sanctions aid for Iran’s beleaguered economic system, it stays unclear simply how a lot Iran will likely be prepared to concede. Below the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran might solely keep a small stockpile of uranium enriched to three.67%. Right now, Tehran’s stockpile might permit it to construct a number of nuclear weapons if it so chooses and it has some materials enriched as much as 60%, a brief, technical step away from weapons-grade ranges. Judging from negotiations since Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the deal in 2018, Iran will seemingly ask to maintain enriching uranium as much as no less than 20%.

One factor it will not do is hand over its program completely. That makes the proposal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a so-called Libyan answer — “you go in, blow up the services, dismantle all of the gear, below American supervision, American execution” — unworkable.

Iran is in search of a “actual and honest” settlement with the USA on its nuclear program, a senior aide to supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mentioned Friday, forward of this weekend’s talks.

“Removed from placing up a present and merely speaking in entrance of the cameras, Tehran is in search of an actual and honest settlement, essential and implementable proposals are prepared,” Khamenei adviser Ali Shamkhani mentioned in a put up on X.