U.S.-Iran Negotiations: Oman Emerges as Potential Venue Amid Rising Tensions
Direct negotiations between the United States and Iran have entered a new phase of uncertainty, as informed sources indicate that Tehran has officially requested to move the next round of talks from Istanbul to Oman. The agenda is expected to focus exclusively on the nuclear program and bilateral discussions between the Iranian and American delegations.
Axios reported on Wednesday, citing an Arab source, that the talks are likely to take place in Oman next Friday. The Trump administration has reportedly agreed to Iran's request to shift the venue from Turkey to Muscat.
The source added that consultations are ongoing to explore the possibility of involving Arab and Islamic nations in these negotiations, although no final decision has been reached yet.
* Trump Signals Negotiations Amid Military Options
In line with these developments, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed during a press conference at the White House that his administration is currently engaged in negotiations with Iran, stating:
“It seems they are interested in an agreement, and we will see if something can be achieved. They had the opportunity in the past, but it didn’t work out, and we had to resort to drastic measures, including the midnight hammer operation.”
Trump added: “I don’t think they want to repeat that,” referring to the U.S. strike, “but they want to negotiate.”
White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt confirmed that talks with Tehran are ongoing, despite the recent incident involving the downing of an Iranian drone. She stated in an interview with Fox News that U.S. special envoy Steve Wittekov is prepared to negotiate with the Iranians this week and noted that the President has "a range of options regarding Iran, including military action."
* Military Tensions Accompany Diplomatic Efforts
These statements come in response to the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) announcing that an American F-35C fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was reportedly approaching the U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in an "aggressive" manner.
* Focus on Bilateral Talks
Regional sources revealed on Tuesday that Iran has requested the negotiations to be held in Oman rather than Turkey, emphasizing that the discussions should be limited to bilateral talks about the nuclear program. This request further complicates an already sensitive diplomatic process.
These developments occur amid increasing regional tensions as the United States bolsters its military presence in the Middle East, countering both regional and international pressure for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, which has recently been marked by mutual threats of potential airstrikes.
