Recent US-Iran talks to resolve the nuclear conflict ended in Oman

Recent indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States aimed at resolving a long-standing nuclear conflict have concluded in Oman, according to Iranian state media. U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about reaching a new agreement that would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff engaged in discussions in Muscat, facilitated by Omani mediators, for approximately six hours, following a productive second round of talks in Rome the previous week.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced that discussions would resume next week, with a high-level meeting tentatively scheduled for May 3. Prior to this meeting, expert-level indirect negotiations were held in Muscat to establish a framework for a potential nuclear agreement.

State television reported that these expert negotiations have progressed to detailed specifics and mutual demands, with delegations returning to their respective capitals for further consultations. An Iranian official, who was informed about the discussions, described the expert-level negotiations as challenging, complex, and serious, without providing further details.

Trump has dedicated the early part of his second term to negotiating resolutions for some of the world’s most significant conflicts, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Israel’s actions in Gaza, and the contentious issue of Iran’s nuclear program.

Meanwhile, Iran has indicated its desire for sanctions relief as its economy continues to struggle, particularly following over a year of military challenges from its regional adversary, Israel. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that Iran remains committed to its principled position on ending unjust sanctions and is prepared to build trust regarding the peaceful intentions of its nuclear program.

In a recent interview with Time magazine, Trump remarked, ‘I think we’re going to make a deal with Iran,’ while also reiterating the possibility of military action against Iran should diplomatic efforts fail.

Maximum pressure

Shortly after Araqchi and Witkoff initiated indirect discussions, Iranian state media reported a significant explosion at Shahid Rajaee port, located near Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, resulting in at least four fatalities and hundreds of injuries. The reports indicated that inadequate chemical storage might have been a contributing factor.

Although both Tehran and Washington have expressed their commitment to diplomacy, they remain significantly divided over a longstanding dispute that has persisted for over twenty years. Since February, Trump has reinstated a ‘maximum pressure’ strategy against Tehran, having abandoned the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six global powers in 2018 during his first term, which led to the reimposition of severe sanctions on Iran.

Since 2019, Iran has violated the nuclear limitations set by the pact, notably by significantly increasing its uranium enrichment to nearly 60% purity, approaching the approximately 90% threshold considered weapons-grade, as reported by the U.N. nuclear watchdog. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated this week that Iran must completely halt its uranium enrichment under any agreement and import any enriched uranium necessary for its only operational nuclear power plant, Bushehr.

Iranian officials have indicated a willingness to negotiate certain restrictions on their nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions; however, they have made it clear that ceasing their enrichment program or relinquishing their stockpile of enriched uranium are among the ‘red lines’ that cannot be compromised in negotiations.

Furthermore, European nations have advised U.S. negotiators that a comprehensive agreement should include measures to prevent Iran from obtaining or finalizing the capability to mount a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile, according to several European diplomats.

Tehran maintains that its defense capabilities, including its missile program, are non-negotiable, asserting that its missile program does not pose a threat to neighboring countries. An Iranian official familiar with the discussions noted on Friday that Tehran views its missile program as a more significant hurdle in the negotiations.