Iran and the U.S. concluded high-level talks in Oman and will continue discussions next week, according to Tehran

Iran and the United States engaged in discussions in Oman on Saturday, with plans to reconvene next week, according to Iranian officials. This dialogue aims to address Tehran’s advancing nuclear program amid President Donald Trump‘s warnings of potential military action if an agreement is not reached.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi shared on his Telegram channel that his team had a brief interaction with the U.S. delegation, led by Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, following their indirect talks facilitated by Oman.

“After more than two and a half hours of indirect discussions, the leaders of the Iranian and American delegations had a short conversation in the presence of the Omani foreign minister as they concluded the talks,” Araqchi stated. He described the discussions—marking the first between Iran and the Trump administration, including his initial term from 2017 to 2021—as taking place in a “productive and positive atmosphere.”

Araqchi noted that both parties agreed to continue their discussions next week, although he did not provide details regarding the location or date. There was no immediate response from the U.S. regarding the talks.

Highlighting the significant divide between the U.S. and Iran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei mentioned on X that each delegation operated from separate rooms and communicated through Oman’s foreign minister.

An Omani source informed Reuters that the primary focus of the discussions would be on reducing regional tensions, facilitating prisoner exchanges, and negotiating limited agreements to ease sanctions on Iran in return for curbing its nuclear program. Baghaei refuted this characterization but did not clarify what aspects were inaccurate.

Oman has historically served as a mediator between Western nations and Iran, successfully negotiating the release of various foreign citizens and dual nationals detained by the Islamic Republic. Tehran approached these talks with caution, doubtful of their potential success and wary of Trump, who has consistently threatened military action if Iran does not cease its rapid uranium enrichment, which the West views as a potential route to nuclear weapons.

While both parties have expressed optimism about the potential for progress, they remain significantly divided over a dispute that has persisted for over twenty years. Iran has consistently denied any intention to pursue nuclear weapons, yet Western nations and Israel suspect that it is secretly working to develop the capability to create an atomic bomb.

The discussions on Saturday were conducted indirectly, as Iran preferred, rather than through direct engagement, which was insisted upon by Trump. “This marks the beginning. It is typical at this stage for both sides to share their core positions via the Omani intermediary,” stated Baghaei.

Any signs of advancement could help alleviate tensions in a region that has been volatile since 2023, marked by conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, missile exchanges between Iran and Israel, Houthi assaults on shipping in the Red Sea, and the collapse of the Syrian government.

However, a lack of progress could heighten concerns about a broader conflict in a region that is a major oil exporter. Tehran has warned neighboring countries hosting U.S. military bases that they would face “severe consequences” if they participated in any U.S. military action against Iran.

“There is an opportunity for initial understanding on further negotiations if the other party (U.S.) approaches the discussions with an equal footing,” Araqchi conveyed to Iranian television.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds the ultimate authority on significant state issues, has granted Araqchi “full authority” to conduct the talks, according to an Iranian official who spoke to Reuters. Iran has firmly excluded discussions regarding its defense capabilities, including its ballistic missile program.

Western countries assert that Iran’s uranium enrichment has significantly exceeded what is necessary for a civilian energy program, resulting in stockpiles with fissile purity levels approaching those needed for nuclear warheads.

Since February, Trump has reinstated a “maximum pressure” strategy against Tehran, having abandoned the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six global powers during his first term in 2018, which led to the reimposition of severe sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

As a result, Iran’s nuclear advancements have accelerated, including the enrichment of uranium to 60% fissile purity, which is a critical step toward the levels required for a nuclear weapon.

Israel, the closest ally of Washington in the Middle East, views Iran’s nuclear program as a fundamental threat to its existence and has consistently warned of potential military action if diplomatic efforts fail to limit Iran’s nuclear goals.

Over the past 18 months, Tehran’s influence in the Middle East has significantly diminished, with its regional allies—collectively referred to as the “Axis of Resistance”—either being dismantled or severely weakened since the onset of the Hamas-Israel conflict in Gaza and the decline of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria in December.