Negotiations Between the U.S. and Iran Shift from Istanbul to Oman
The negotiations between the United States and Iran have entered a new phase of uncertainty as reports indicate that Tehran has formally requested to shift the upcoming talks from Istanbul to Oman. This change would limit the agenda to nuclear issues and focus solely on bilateral discussions between the Iranian and U.S. representatives.
Axios reported on Wednesday that the talks are expected to take place in Oman this Friday, with the Trump administration having approved Iran's request to change the venue from Turkey to Muscat.
Sources noted that consultations are ongoing regarding the potential involvement of Arab and Islamic nations in these negotiations, but no final decision has been reached as of yet.
* Trump Indicates Willingness to Negotiate Amid Military Options*
In conjunction with these developments, President Donald Trump confirmed during a press conference at the White House that his administration is engaged in negotiations with Iran, stating:
“It seems they want to reach an agreement, and we will see if something materializes. They were given an opportunity in the past, but it did not succeed, which led us to take drastic measures, including the Midnight Hammer operation.”
Trump added: “I don’t think they want to repeat that,” referring to the U.S. military strike, “but they want to negotiate.”
White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt confirmed that negotiations with Tehran are ongoing, despite the recent incident involving the downing of an Iranian drone. In an interview with Fox News, she mentioned that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Wittekov is preparing to engage with Iranian officials this week, emphasizing that the president has various options regarding Iran, including military action.
* Rising Tensions Accompany Diplomatic Efforts*
These remarks followed the announcement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) that an F-35C fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone after it approached the U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in an “aggressive” manner.
* Focused Bilateral Negotiations*
Regional sources revealed on Tuesday that Iran is conditioning its participation in talks in Oman on the limitation of discussions to nuclear-related bilateral talks, complicating an already sensitive diplomatic path.
These developments come amid escalating regional tensions, with the U.S. increasing its military presence in the Middle East, against a backdrop of international and regional pressures for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, which has seen a recent exchange of threats regarding potential airstrikes.
