TEHRAN – Indirect Iran talks via Oman appear to have concluded in a positive memo on Saturday. This is because both parties agreed to schedule a second round next week.
In a statement released shortly after the talks ended, Iran’s foreign ministry characterized Oman’s indirect debate with the United States as “constructive” and generally “positive.” The debate centered around Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions on the Washington state.
Emphasizing the indirect nature of the lecture, the statement noted that Iranian and American delegations were located in separate halls for two and a half hours of negotiation and were communicating through written messages. At the end of the session, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Aragchi and US envoy to West Asia Steve Witkov “exchanging greetings from courtesy” when they left.
Tehran said he was willing to give diplomacy a “real chance” before negotiations, but Washington also needs to show a sincere commitment to clearing the hurdles. Sources familiar with the issue told the Tehran Times that Iran is serious about hitting the agreement, but that the other side will not pass any of the red lines.
Witkoff spoke with NBC and said Iran and the United States were in a positive and constructive dialogue.
Consultations followed a letter last month when US President Donald Trump offered to limit discussions with Iran’s nuclear program, excluding military and foreign policy, if Tehran agrees to enter negotiations. This marked a shift as it was the first time Trump has expressed his willingness to limit discussion to Iran’s nuclear program since he unraveled the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) during his first term. After withdrawing from the JCPOA in 2018, Trump had imposed severe sanctions on Tehran, hoping to force further concessions, particularly on the missile and drone programmes and relations with regional resistance forces in West Asia.
In a comment aired on Iran’s national television, Araguchi said the upcoming round will focus on the “format” of negotiations. “During this round, we were able to reach an agreement on what was going on in the discussion,” he explained. “If we complete the content next week, we will be in a position to decide on the format.”
The Foreign Minister further emphasized that Iran is seeking an actual agreement and would like to avoid a “destructive” phase of negotiations. “But he warned.
The assessment of Araguchi’s Omani meeting was not pessimistic, but lacked complete enthusiasm. Wendy Sherman, former US Secretary of State and chief negotiator who negotiated with Araguchi during the Obama administration, characterized him as a “tough and intelligent person” and added to the American media that “Witkoff faces tough competitors.”
Analysts are reluctant to draw decisive conclusions by citing past records of Washington’s past broken agreements and withdrawal commitments.
“Even though they initially prefer direct negotiations, the US agreement on indirect negotiations and Oman’s acceptance as a mediator after seeking the role of the UAE suggests a temporary departure from previous incommunizations,” said North American affair expert Amir Ali Abulfas. “But nothing is guaranteed. We need to see if the US will keep this course or suddenly change direction.”