Iran and the United States hold in-depth negotiations in Oman Tehran's rapid nuclear plan On Saturday, talks may depend on the Islamic Republic's uranium abundance.
Negotiations lasted for several hours in Muscat, the capital of mountain-wrapped mountains on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula.
A person near U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff admitted that the meeting had begun and was later over. Sources talked on anonymous condition to discuss talks behind closed doors. Iranian state television also reported their conclusions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi After the talks, he told the state television that the parties involved exchanged books during the discussion throughout the day, and he called him “very serious and focused on work.”
“This time the negotiations are much more serious than in the past, and we have gradually conducted more in-depth and detailed discussions,” he said. “We have moved away from the broader general discussion, although not all differences have been resolved.
A senior U.S. government official said the negotiations were “positive and productive.”
“The latest direct and indirect discussion lasted four hours,” the official said in anonymous discussion. “There is much more to be done, but further progress has been made in reaching an agreement. We agree to meet again in Europe soon and we thank our Omani partners for their promotion of these speeches.”
Omanian Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi mediated in the first two rounds of talks in Muscat and Rome, and he presented a positive note at the end of Saturday's negotiations.
Iran and the United States “determine a shared desire to reach an agreement based on mutual respect and enduring commitments,” posted by al-Busaidi on X. “Core principles, objectives and technical issues have been resolved. Negotiations will continue next week, with further high-level meetings temporarily scheduled on May 3.”
Araghchi arrived in Oman on Friday on the eve of negotiations and visited the Muscat International Book Fair, surrounded by TV cameras and photojournalists. Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday and arrived in Oman on Saturday.
Meanwhile, a major explosion occurred on Saturday Swinging a port in southern Iran After the negotiations began, four people were killed and more than 500 others were injured. Authorities did not propose a direct cause of the explosion, and although officials ruled out the oil and gas industry, it appeared to be caused by highly combustible materials. The private security company is also related to the delivery of chemical components of missile propellants used to enable ports to ship.
The talks were intended to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for some broken economic sanctions imposed by the United States on the Islamic Republic, which ended in half a century of hatred.
If no deal is reached, U.S. President Trump repeatedly threatens to release air strikes against Iran. Iranian officials are increasingly warning that they can use uranium to store to near-weapon-level levels in pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers did limit Tehran's plans. However, Trump unilaterally withdrew the motion in 2018, a motion for attacks and tensions. The wider Middle East also remains marginal Israel in the Gaza Strip – Hamas War.
Mr. Trump, heading to Rome The funeral of Pope Francisagain, he hopes the negotiations will lead to a new nuclear deal. But if they didn't, he still considered the possibility of a military strike.
“The situation in Iran is going well,” Trump said on Air Force One. “We have a lot of talks with them and I think we will come to a deal. I would rather have a deal than another option. It's good for humanity.”
He added: “Some people want to make another deal – it's a much easier deal – I don't want it to happen in Iran if we can avoid Iran.”
While Araghchi and Witkoff are expected to speak through the Omani again, experts from both sides will also begin negotiating details about the possible deal.
Iranian government official Mohammad Golzari said from the Iranian side, Iranian Foreign Minister Majid Takht-e Ravanchi will lead a panel of experts in Tehran. Takht-e Ravanchi participated in the nuclear negotiations in 2015.
The U.S. technical team, expected to arrive in Oman on Friday, will be led by Michael Anton, policy planner for U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Anton has no nuclear policy experience with those who led the U.S. efforts in the 2015 talks.
Iran insists that keeping its enrichment is key. However, Witkoff first proposed in a TV interview that Iran may enrich uranium at a concentration of 3.67%, and then said that all abundance must stop. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also repeated all the requirements for a cessation of enrichment.
But Iranians still hope the negotiations will be successful, as the Iranian Rial rebounded from historic lows, spending more than $1 million to buy $1 during this period.
“There can be negotiations to make the nuclear program bigger or bigger and reach an agreement,” said Farzin Keivan, a Tehran resident. “Of course, we shouldn't give them everything. After all, we've suffered a lot for this program.”
