Iran and United States Maintain more negotiations Next week about the nuclear program that Tehran advanced rapidly, Iranian state television reported on Saturday at the end of the first round of conversations between the two countries since President Trump returned to the White House.
Iranian state television also said that the United States Envoy Steve Witkoff and Foreign Minister Iraní Abbas Araghchi “spoke in the presence of Omaní Foreign Minister” at the end of the conversations, marking a direct interaction between decades of tensions.
The two parts spoke for approximately two hours on a place on the outskirts of Oman, finishing the conversations around 5:50 pm local time. The conversations total around 3:30 pm.
The White House said Witkoff joined the United States ambassador to Oman Ana Escribima for conversations, which he described that it was “very positive and constructive.”
“The special envoy Witkoff subtracted Dr. Araghchi that he had instructions from President Trump to resolve the differences of our two nations through dialogue and diplomacy, if that is possible,” said the White House on Sattay in a statement. “These problems are very complicated, and direct Witkoff’s direct communication today was a step forward to achieve a beneficial mutual result.”
Trump told journalists on Saturday night that conversations with Iran “are going well,” but refused to give more details.
“Nothing matters until you do,” he said.
Negotiation bets could not be higher for the two nations that are approaching in half a century of enmity. Trump has repeatedly threatened to release air attacks aimed at Iran’s nuclear program if an agreement is not reached. Iranian officials warn more and more that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their enriched uranium arsenal to close levels of degree of weapons.
The conversations took place on Saturday afternoon in Oman
AP journalists saw a convoy that is believed to be taking Witkoff to leave Omar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday afternoon and then accelerate on the outskirts of Muscat. The convoy entered a complex and a few minutes later, the spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of Iran, Esmail Baghaei, wrote to the social platform X that the “indirect conversations.”
“These conversations will be held in a place planned by the Omeaní host, with representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States sitting in the halls and sides, transmitting their views and positions to each of which”
Approximately an hour later, Baghaei appeared on Iranian state television and acknowledged that the conversations had been happening all that time.
“The objective of the Islamic Republic of Iran is very clear: we only have one objective, and it is safeguarding the national interests of Iran,” he said. “We are giving a genuine and honest opportunity to diplomacy, so that through dialogue, we can advance in the nuclear issue with one hand, and what is more important for us, the lifting of sanctions.”
Baghaei added: “Look, this is just a beginning. Therefore, it is natural that, at this stage, both parties present their fundamental positions through the Omani mediator. Therefore, we do not explain this round of negotiations to be Luggas.”
Araghchi previously spoke with Iranian journalists.
“If there is enough will on both sides, we will decide on a schedule. But it is still too early to talk about that,” said Araghchi, in an audio clip published by Irna. “What is clear now is that negotiations are indirectly and, in our opinion, only on the nuclear issue, and will be carried out with the will necessary to reach an agreement that is on equal terms and leads to ensure the national interest of the Iranian people.”
Trump and Witkoff had described conversations as “direct.”
“I think our position begins with the dismantling of your program. That is our position today,” Witkoff told Wall Street Journal before his trip. “That does not mean, by the way, that in the margin we will not find other ways to find commitment between the two countries.”
He added: “Where our red line will be, there can be no weapons of its nuclear capacity”,
The relief and enrichment of sanctions remain the main problems
While the American side can sacrifice the relief of sanctions for Iran’s besieged economy, it is not clear how much they will be willing to arrange. According to the 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran could only maintain a small reservation or enriched uranium at 3.67%. Today, the Tehran Reserve could allow it to build multiple nuclear weapons if it decides and has some enriched material up to 60%, at a short and technical pace of the levels of weapons. Judging by negotiations since Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the agreement in 2018, Iran will probably request to continue enriching up to at least 20%.
One thing he wins is to give up his program completely. That makes the proposal of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or a so -called Libyan solution: “You enter, you explode the facilities, dismantle all teams, under US supervision, US execution,” does not work.
