TEHRAN – Iran and the US have agreed to meet for indirect consultations for the third round in Muscat, Oman this Saturday.
Future talks follow two previous rounds held in Muscat and Rome on April 12th and 19th, respectively.
The meeting, facilitated by Omani Foreign Minister Bador bin Hamad al-Busaidi, begins at the expert level before proceeding to a high level of exchange. Deputy Ministers Majid Takut Ravanchi and Kazem Galibabadi will represent Iran during the technical session.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaille Baghhai said on Friday that both sides agreed to hold talks at multiple levels simultaneously. “The technical meeting and indirect discussion between the Iranian foreign minister and the US envoy will be held on Saturday, based on the arrangements made by the Omani host,” he said.
Baghaei emphasized that Iran is still committed to engaging in serious dialogue, but that progress relies on integrity and realism on the other side. “We act according to experience and according to the other person’s actions,” he said. He reiterated Iran’s position that its nuclear program is completely peaceful and that the removal of sanctions remains in critical demand.
In preparation for the discussion, Araguchi held a telephone conversation with the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Bureau Rafael Grossi on Tuesday to explain the status of the negotiations. Grossi welcomed Iran’s transparency and expressed preparation for an agency to support the process in line with its mission.
Araguchi also traveled to Beijing earlier this week after a similar visit to Moscow prior to the second round of negotiations to consult with Chinese and Russian officials. “China and Russia are important partners for us and have played a constructive role in the past,” he said. Araghchi conveyed a message from President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Chinese authorities, highlighting the importance of ongoing cooperation.
Despite Iran’s diplomatic stance, the US sent mixed signals. President Donald Trump, who unilaterally withdraws from the JCPOA in 2018 and reimposes sweeping sanctions, claimed this week that talks with Iran are “going very well.” But in the same breath he issued the threat of military action if the transaction, which was clearly inconsistent with the spirit of diplomacy, did not complete quickly.
“There are only two options. One option is not a good option,” Trump said ominously, again revealing Washington’s preference for compulsion.
In a recent interview with Time magazine, Trump also dismissed the idea that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could put pressure on him to a conflict with Iran, and instead argued that if diplomacy fails, “leaving the Pack into conflict.”
Such a contradictory statement raises doubts our intentions. On the one hand, Trump says he wants to meet Iranian President Maud Pezeshkian, or even the leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seiyed Ali Khamenei, on the other hand, appears ready to lead a military conflict if negotiations do not move at Washington’s pace.
Iranian officials continue to be cautious. Looking back at the previous round, Araguchi said, “Opinism may be justified, but we only pay a lot of attention. Many in Iran believe that the JCPOA does not meet our needs.
In a social media post that arrived in Muscat, Baghey repeated Iran’s purpose. “We are committed to ensuring the country’s legal rights to peaceful nuclear energy, and will continue to prioritize unfair and inhumane sanctions quickly and effectively.