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US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff (left) and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (right). Photo: AFP
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s foreign minister is heading to Oman ready with “key proposals” for “indirect” nuclear talks with the United States, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader said on Friday.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi “heads to Oman with full authority for indirect talks with the US. Tehran seeks a real, just deal—away from media show and rhetoric. If Washington shows determination for a deal, the path to agreement will be clear,” Ali Shamkhani said in a post on X.
US and Iranian officials have both described the talks taking place in Oman on Saturday as “high-level,” but differ on their format. Washington insists the talks will be direct, while Tehran maintains they will be indirect.
Esmail Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry, wrote on X that Iran is approaching the talks “in earnest & with candid vigilance,” ready to assess Washington’s intentions. He urged the US to “value this decision despite their prevailing confrontational hoopla.”
Under a 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran limited its uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal began to unravel in 2018 when President Donald Trump in his first term in office withdrew and reinstated sanctions. Iran began expanding its nuclear program the following year.
Back in office, Trump reinstated his maximum pressure campaign in February, claiming Iran is “too close” to a nuclear weapon. He has expressed openness to a new agreement, saying on Monday that direct talks with Tehran have already started, but has threatened military action if Iran does not reach a deal.
In a recent op-ed published in the Washington Post, Araghchi wrote that Iran will never pursue nuclear weapons and said the country “knows how to defend itself.”
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