United States and Iran will restart nuclear talks on Sunday in Oman, before a high-stakes trip to the Gulf by US President Donald Trump. The negotiations coincide with Washington telegraphing a tougher stance on Iran’s uranium enrichment, elevating the stakes for any diplomatic resolution.
President Trump, who plans to visit three Gulf Arab nations next week, has hoped for an agreement with Tehran to forestall a possible Israeli military attack against Iran’s nuclear program a step that could initiate a regional war.
Earlier rounds of negotiations in Oman and Rome concluded on positive terms, as both countries framed the discussions in positive terms. Nevertheless, all these talks so far have been reluctant to probe the intricate details of Iran’s nuclear program. Fundamental issues remain unsettled.
Steve Witkoff, who is a strong Trump supporter and the administration’s chief negotiator, has made a transition from previous flexibility to a hard stance: no uranium enrichment whatsoever. In a recent interview, he asserted dismantlement of Iran’s enrichment facilities Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan a demand that is not negotiable.
This toughening position is a break from earlier proposals that provided room for Iran to import enriched uranium for peaceful purposes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had circulated such proposals, but Witkoff’s remarks indicate the compromise window is closing.
Iran, buffeted by its own regional reversals including the fall of Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad and Israeli attacks against Iranian-aligned forces might be put under growing pressure. But Tehran is as defiant as ever, blaming the US for sabotaging negotiations with continued sanctions, including new penalties against a Chinese refinery.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqhchi confirmed the talks in Oman and highlighted progress toward addressing fundamental issues, saying, “We are moving forward and gradually entering into technical details.”
Despite internal tension between hawks and diplomats in his administration, Trump reiterated a preference for a peaceful solution, “I’d much rather make a deal than see military action,” he said Thursday.
