The United States and Iran have confirmed they will hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday, after days of uncertainty over whether the meeting would happen at all, and disagreement over where it should take place and what it should cover.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the talks on Wednesday, and a White House official confirmed Washington’s participation, according to reporting by the Associated Press and Reuters carried by multiple outlets. The meeting is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. local time in Muscat on Friday, which is 06:00 GMT.
How the talks were salvaged
The confirmation came after hours in which the anticipated talks appeared to be faltering. Early on Wednesday, there were indications that the meeting was in doubt over changes to its format and content, with the venue and the agenda both unresolved.
The talks were initially expected to take place in Turkey, with regional countries involved and a broader agenda on the table. They will instead be held in Oman, a Gulf sultanate that has long acted as a mediator between Iran and Western powers and previously hosted similar talks. Reports say the shift came at Iran’s request, so the talks could focus on the nuclear issue in the same format as earlier Oman rounds.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the talks would go ahead in Oman but said Washington remains sceptical about their chances of success.
Who will be at the table
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is due to lead the American delegation, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi leading Tehran’s side. Some reports also say President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is due to take part.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has instructed his foreign minister to pursue what he described as fair and equitable negotiations, a signal of openness that reports say is backed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mediators from Qatar, Turkiye and Egypt have presented both sides with a framework of key principles to be discussed, according to sources cited by Al Jazeera. That framework is reported to include a commitment by Iran to significantly limit its uranium enrichment, though the full terms have not been published.
The agenda split that remains
The two sides have still not agreed on what the talks should cover, and that gap is the clearest warning sign ahead of Friday.
Iran has pushed to restrict the negotiations to its long-running nuclear dispute with Western countries. The United States, by contrast, wants the talks to include the range of Iran’s ballistic missiles, its support for armed proxy groups across the Middle East, and its treatment of its own people. Secretary of State Marco Rubio set out that broader American position on Wednesday.
President Trump, meanwhile, issued a blunt warning to Iran’s supreme leader ahead of the talks. Asked whether Ayatollah Khamenei should be worried, he replied that he should be very worried, while adding that Iran is negotiating with the United States.
Why Friday matters
Friday’s meeting will be the first such encounter between the two countries since the United States joined Israel’s war against Iran in June with strikes on nuclear sites. It follows Tehran’s deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, which has kept tensions high and left regional players seeking to avoid a military confrontation many fear could escalate into a wider war.
The United States has been building up forces in the Middle East, and Trump has not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails. That backdrop is why even a confirmed meeting is being treated cautiously: agreement to talk is not agreement on substance, and the agenda dispute could still derail the session once it begins.
What is confirmed — and what is not yet known
Confirmed: the talks will take place on Friday in Oman, with Witkoff and Araghchi leading their delegations, after confirmation from both sides on Wednesday. Still unknown: whether the agenda split can be bridged, what the mediators’ framework contains in full, and whether Friday produces any joint statement or a further round. This article reports the confirmation of the talks, not their outcome.
Frequently asked questions
When and where are the US-Iran talks? On Friday in Muscat, Oman, scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. local time (06:00 GMT).
Who is leading each delegation? US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff for Washington and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for Tehran.
What do the two sides disagree on? Iran wants the talks limited to the nuclear programme; the United States wants missiles, proxy groups and human rights issues included as well.
Sources
- Associated Press / Reuters reporting via UNB, “Iran, US to hold nuclear talks in Oman amid tensions”: https://unb.com.bd/category/World/iran-us-to-hold-nuclear-talks-in-oman-amid-tensions-trump-issues-warning-to-khamenei/178870
- Reuters via DD News, “US and Iran agree to Friday talks in Oman but still at odds over agenda”: https://ddnews.gov.in/en/us-and-iran-agree-to-friday-talks-in-oman-but-still-at-odds-over-agenda/
- Naharnet / Associated Press, “Iran, US agree to hold nuclear talks Friday in Oman”: http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/318183
