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Iran and the United States began talks on Friday in Oman, the first formal negotiations between the two countries since Washington joined Israel’s war with Iran in June 2025.
The meeting comes as the US refuses to rule out military action if diplomacy fails, while Tehran has vowed to defend itself against what it called “excessive demands.”
President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are leading their delegations at negotiations in Oman, which is mediating between the countries.
Araghchi told state media that Tehran remained fully ready to defend its sovereignty and national security against any adventurism by the United States.
He said Iran was engaging in diplomacy with “open eyes and a steady memory of the past year,” and stressed that commitments must be honoured, with equal standing, mutual respect and mutual interest forming the foundation of any durable agreement.
Earlier, Iran had emphasised its responsibility not to miss any opportunity to preserve peace through diplomacy, expressing hope that Washington would participate “with responsibility, realism and seriousness.”
The US delegation, led by Witkoff, intends to push for a “zero nuclear capacity” for Iran, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
She warned that Trump had “many options at his disposal aside from diplomacy.”
Trump, speaking on Thursday, described the negotiations as ongoing and reiterated that US military forces were positioned in the region, referring to a large naval fleet.
Vice President JD Vance said the president would pursue non-military solutions where possible but was prepared to resort to force if necessary.
International leaders have also weighed in. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Iran’s leadership to engage seriously in talks, warning of widespread fear of military escalation in the region.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also indicated that both parties were creating space for diplomacy, while China voiced support for Iran defending its interests and opposition to unilateral bullying.
