Muscat: The United States and Iran on Friday held their first indirect talks in months over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The meeting, hosted by Oman in Muscat amid soaring tensions, were described by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as a “very good start”, despite delegations meeting separately with Omani mediator Badr al-Busaidi at a palace outside the capital.
Araghchi and Oman officials said the talks were focused on exploring ways to hold future negotiations, effectively returning to the start of discussions about the Iranian nuclear programme that unfolded months ago, before Israel launched its 12-day war on Iran in June.
US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of American military’s Central Command, also attended the meeting. His presence was not reported in previous rounds. This may be a signal to Tehran that Washington could still strike Iran if negotiations fail.
Araghchi reportedly struck a cautiously optimistic tone as he spoke in a live interview from Muscat on Iranian state television, noting that Friday’s talks were held in multiple rounds and focused primarily on laying the framework for further negotiations.
“We will hold consultations with our capitals regarding the next steps, and the results will be conveyed to Oman foreign minister,” Araghchi said.
“The mistrust that has developed is a serious challenge facing the negotiations. We must first address this issue, and then enter into the next level of negotiations,” he added.
