 "Iran, US to continue indirect nuclear talks with Oman as mediator, meeting likely next weekend")
Iran’s foreign ministry said on Sunday (April 13) that nuclear negotiations with the US would remain indirect, mediated by Oman, and focus exclusively on Tehran’s nuclear programme and sanctions relief.
“Negotiations will continue to be indirect. Oman will remain the mediator, but we are discussing the location of future negotiations,” foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told Iranian state television, confirming talks set for next weekend.
His comments follow a meeting between Iranian and US representatives in the Omani capital, Muscat, where envoys discussed how to structure future dialogue aimed at resolving tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear activities. The renewed diplomacy has taken on urgency since President Donald Trump’s return to office, sparking renewed concerns internationally about the trajectory of Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
The indirect Muscat negotiations on Saturday (April 12) involved Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi. Talks took place at the home of Oman’s foreign minister, Said Badr Al Busaidi.
Following the initial round, Araghchi said the two sides were edging closer towards agreeing on a basis for future negotiations.
“During the meeting, I think we came very close to a basis for negotiations,” Araghchi told Iranian state TV. “At our next meeting, if we can finalise that basis, we will have gone a large part of the way.”
According to Araghchi, four rounds of indirect messages passed between Tehran and Washington during the Muscat talks. Iranian state television also reported that Araghchi and Witkoff briefly spoke directly at the close of the meeting, an unusual occurrence in a dialogue process defined by its indirect format.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRelations between Tehran and Washington have deteriorated sharply since Trump’s initial presidency and his administration’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. With Trump now back in power, both countries have cautiously sought ways to reopen communication channels to address international fears about Iran’s nuclear activities.
Oman, a traditional mediator in US-Iranian diplomacy, has again stepped into its role as a trusted intermediary. The Gulf state previously hosted secret US-Iranian negotiations that paved the way for the 2015 nuclear deal.
Iran has insisted publicly that the talks focus strictly on nuclear issues and lifting economic sanctions, underscoring Tehran’s determination to prioritise sanctions relief amid deepening economic pressures at home.
Further indirect negotiations are expected next weekend.
With inputs from agencies
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
