US and Iran Engage in Indirect Nuclear Talks in Oman

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US and Iran Commence High Stakes Indirect Talks in Oman

By TRH News Desk

New Delhi, April 12, 2025: Delegations from the United States and Iran convened in Oman’s capital, Muscat, today for indirect talks. The uniquely arranged meeting is being brokered by Oman. Top officials of the two nations are seated in different rooms amid indirect talks.

“These talks will be held at a location planned by Oman with representatives of Iran and the US seated in separate rooms,” Baghaei revealed in a post on social media platforms.

The indirect US and Iran talks are aimed at addressing Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. The negotiations, mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi, mark the first high-level diplomatic engagement between the two nations during US President Donald Trump’s second term.

Iran’s delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Muscat early Saturday, while the US team is headed by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. The talks follow a letter from President Trump to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proposing dialogue but accompanied by warnings of military action if no agreement is reached.

Witkoff was in Moscow for a special assignment to meet his Russian hosts before he arrived in Muscat. Witkoff is credited to have found a breakthrough to establish relations with Russia to kickstart Ukraine War ceasefire talks.

Iran rejected direct negotiations, insisting on an indirect format with Omani intermediaries shuttling messages between the parties. Newsweek this week quoted Republican Senator Lindsey Graham claiming that “Iran possesses sufficient highly enriched uranium to construct six nuclear bombs”.

In an interview with Fox News, Graham said: “They will use it. Iran is very close to assembling six nuclear bombs. They will kill Israel. They’ll come after us.”

Also, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Washington for a special meeting with Trump in a precursor to the US and Iran indirect talks. Netanyahu had sought a complete dismantling of the nuclear infrastructure of Iran.

Middle East-based media outlets said that the “discussions center on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with Tehran’s uranium stockpile now enriched to near weapons-grade levels, raising international concerns”. Araghchi emphasized Iran’s desire for a “fair and dignified agreement”, focusing solely on nuclear issues and rejecting threats or coercion.

“If there is sufficient will on both sides, we can set a timetable for progress,” he told Iranian state media. Trump has reiterated his stance that Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon”. He has set a two-month deadline for Iran to scale back its program or face consequences.

Witkoff described the talks as a trust-building exercise. Witkoff also asserted that Iran must dismantle its nuclear capabilities to avoid weaponization.

The talks come against a backdrop of regional tensions and economic strain in Iran, where the rial has hit record lows. Analysts suggest that while no immediate breakthrough is expected, the negotiations could lay the groundwork for future discussions.

Within days of the inauguration of Trump presidency, billionaire Elon Musk was rumoured to have met the Iranian envoy at the United Nations. A Russian hand in the indirect talks between Iran and the US is not ruled out.

Oman, a long-standing mediator between Iran and Western nations, provides a neutral venue for the delicate discussions. However, both sides remain cautious, with Iran warning regional US allies of “severe consequences” if they support military action.

Iran issued the warning in the wake of the US rushing its fleet of warship to the Middle East. The US has been attacking the Houthi positions in Yemen. Iran is known to back the Houthis in Yemen. But Middle East experts believe that the sharply increasing US military presence in the Middle East has aims on Iran.

The US has also warned that more sanctions or worse will be enforced on Iran if the indirect talks falter. The outcome has the potential to shape the future of US-Iran relations and stability in the Middle East.

Notably, Israel has principally been facing challenges from the Iran-backed outfits such as the Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen.

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