Iran Calls US Nuclear Talks in Oman 'a Good Start' Amid Lingering Tensions

Muscat, Oman – In a rare glimmer of diplomatic hope amid decades of hostility, the United States and Iran held indirect nuclear negotiations here on Friday, marking the first high-level contact between the two nations since devastating American airstrikes crippled key Iranian nuclear sites during the June 2025 conflict with Israel. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hailed the five-hour session as "a good start," announcing that both sides had agreed to continue talks despite profound disagreements over their scope.

The Oman-mediated discussions unfolded at the opulent residence of Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi in the heart of Muscat. As has become customary in such delicate shuttle diplomacy, Al Busaidi moved between separate rooms housing the American and Iranian delegations, ferrying proposals and counterproposals. The marathon meeting, which began in the morning and extended into the afternoon, underscored Oman's enduring role as a neutral broker in one of the world's most intractable conflicts.

Araghchi, speaking to state media upon departure, emphasized the breakthrough in simply convening. "We have agreed to keep talking," he said, though he cautioned that "significant differences remain, particularly on what constitutes the agenda." For Washington, the talks represent a test of President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy, blending military deterrence with diplomatic overtures in his second term.

Key Players and Military Signals

The composition of the delegations sent unmistakable signals about each side's mindset. Leading the US team was special envoy Steve Witkoff, a real estate magnate and longtime Trump confidant tasked with Middle East policy. Flanking him was Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and influential adviser, whose previous role in brokering the Abraham Accords lent gravitas to the effort. Most strikingly, Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), joined the talks—a notable departure from prior nuclear rounds.

Cooper's presence was no accident. Analysts interpret it as a deliberate show of Washington's military resolve. CENTCOM oversees US forces across the Middle East, including the recent deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to the Arabian Sea. "This is diplomacy backed by steel," said a senior US official speaking anonymously. "Admiral Cooper was there to remind Tehran that our B-2 bombers and F-35s remain on high alert."

On the Iranian side, Araghchi spearheaded the delegation, accompanied by veteran diplomats Majid Takht-Ravanchi, a former deputy foreign minister, and Kazem Gharibabadi, a hardline nuclear negotiator. Post-talks, Araghchi told Iranian television that the parties would reconvene after consultations in their capitals. "Our goal is to dismantle the wall of mistrust built higher since the June war," he stated, invoking the recent conflict that saw US airstrikes on Iran's fortified nuclear infrastructure.

The war's shadow loomed large. In June 2025, escalating exchanges between Israel and Iran—sparked by Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets—drew in American forces. Over 12 tense days, US B-2 stealth bombers, launched from Diego Garcia, obliterated centrifuges at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Tehran claims the attacks halted enrichment at those facilities, though satellite imagery suggests covert rebuilding efforts.

Agenda Dispute Threatens Progress

Beneath the cautious optimism lies a fundamental impasse: what belongs on the table? Iran demands a narrow focus on its nuclear program, seeking sanctions relief in exchange for verifiable limits on enrichment. Tehran views its 60% pure uranium stockpile—short of weapons-grade—as a bargaining chip, not a threat. "The nuclear file is the only file open today," Araghchi confirmed, dismissing US attempts to broaden discussions.

Washington, however, envisions a comprehensive deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly insisted on addressing Iran's ballistic missile arsenal, which can deliver warheads across the Middle East and into Europe. The Trump administration also demands curbs on Tehran's backing of proxy militias like Yemen's Houthis, Iraq's Kata'ib Hezbollah, and Lebanon's Hezbollah—groups blamed for attacks on US troops and shipping. Rubio went further this week, decrying Iran's "brutal treatment of their own people," a reference to the regime's crackdown on dissent.

Iranian officials have drawn a red line. "Ballistic missiles are defensive and non-negotiable," Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office reiterated last month. Tehran seeks phased sanctions relief, starting with oil exports and banking access, in return for capping enrichment at 3.67%—civilian reactor fuel levels under the defunct 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The US counters with a "zero enrichment" demand on Iranian soil, echoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long-held position that Tehran cannot be trusted with any nuclear fuel cycle.

This clash echoes the JCPOA's collapse. Trump withdrew in 2018, citing its "sunset clauses" and failure to curb missiles or proxies. Biden's 2021-2024 revival attempts faltered amid Iran's advances to 60% enrichment and attacks on Saudi oil facilities. Friday's talks, while modest, revive echoes of those Vienna marathons—yet with Trump's unpredictable style and Iran's hardened posture post-strikes.

Background and Tensions

The Muscat meeting unfolds against a volatile backdrop. Just days ago, the Pentagon surged the USS Abraham Lincoln and two destroyers toward the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil flows. Trump amplified the pressure, warning in a Fox News interview that Khamenei "should be very worried" if diplomacy stalls. "We hit them hard last summer; we can do it again," the president said, referencing the June operation that reportedly set back Iran's program by years.

That 12-day war began June 14, 2025, when Israeli F-35s struck Iranian radar sites in Syria, prompting Tehran to launch over 300 missiles at Tel Aviv. US intervention followed after Iranian drones targeted the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Precision strikes neutralized underground centrifuges, with the IAEA later verifying "irreversible damage" at Natanz. Casualties numbered in the hundreds, mostly Iranian military personnel, though civilian deaths fueled anti-US protests in Tehran.

Compounding tensions are domestic woes. Iran's January 2026 protest wave—sparked by subsidy cuts and corruption—saw security forces kill thousands, per Amnesty International and exiled media. Demonstrators chanted "Death to the Dictator," targeting Khamenei directly. The regime's response, involving mass arrests and internet blackouts, has isolated Tehran further, prompting European sanctions and quiet Gulf state outreach to the US.

Regionally, the stakes are immense. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, wary of Iranian resurgence, back Trump's hardline. Israel, fresh from its Gaza operations, views any nuclear thaw skeptically. Oman, ever the pragmatist, hosts the talks to avert escalation that could spike oil to $150 per barrel.

Experts remain guardedly optimistic. "This is better than bombs, but don't pop the champagne," said Ray Takeyh of the Council on Foreign Relations. "Iran needs cash; Trump needs a win. But red lines on missiles and zero enrichment make a deal elusive."

As delegations depart Muscat, the world watches. Follow-up talks could materialize in weeks, potentially in Vienna or Geneva. Yet with US carriers steaming nearby and Iranian missiles on alert, the Oman breakthrough hangs by a thread—proof that in Middle East diplomacy, even a "good start" demands vigilant stewardship.