American and Iranian officials convened for the first direct talks since President Donald Trump took office, meeting in Oman in an effort to address rising tensions and stalled diplomatic relations, as confirmed by a White House statement. The discussions, described as “very positive and constructive,” involved U.S. Special Envoy Steven Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with further talks scheduled for the following weekend.
Witkoff, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Oman Ana Escrogima, conveyed Trump’s personal directive to resolve differences diplomatically, if feasible. Despite years of strained relations and Iran’s ongoing expansion of its nuclear program, both sides exchanged messages and engaged in brief direct conversation, acknowledging the meeting took place on the outskirts of Oman’s capital, Muscat, and lasted over two hours.
The White House expressed gratitude to Oman for its support. Military pressure, including the deployment of U.S. assets to the Middle East, is seen as a catalyst for Iran’s decision to engage in talks, with options for a potential Israeli-led, U.S.-backed strike on Iran should discussions fail. Iran’s leaders now perceive a serious commitment from Trump regarding military action if they do not agree to limit their nuclear program, a program that has seen Iran enriching uranium to levels just beneath weapons-grade.
The U.S. and its allies are prepared for such a strike, with Israel having neutralized much of Iran’s air defenses and the presence of U.S. carriers and B-2 bombers in the region, according to defense analysts. Iran, on its part, rejects direct negotiations on the nuclear program and blames the U.S. for past breaches of trust, warning of consequences if threats persist. Pompeo has emphasized that any agreement requires Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions entirely.
The talks are part of ongoing efforts to negotiate a deal that would include strict inspections and limitations on ballistic missile development, with both nations scheduled to reconvene in Oman on April 19.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/world/trump-team-holds-constructive-nuclear-talks-iran-meet-again-next-weekend
