Link to Trump announces direct negotiations, Tehran insists on indirect format via Oman.Trump announces direct negotiations, Tehran insists on indirect format via Oman.
Tensions over Iran’s nuclear program are flaring again as U.S. President Donald Trump declared that high-level direct talks with Tehran will begin Saturday—an assertion promptly refuted by Iranian officials, who insist the dialogue will be mediated through Oman.
Speaking from the Oval Office alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump warned that failure to reach a deal would spell “great danger” for Iran. Yet Tehran, maintaining a hard stance, reaffirmed its rejection of direct talks, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stating that negotiations will be “indirect” and facilitated by Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi.
The talks represent the most significant diplomatic engagement attempt since the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump unilaterally abandoned in 2018. Despite U.S. military posturing and recent regional upheavals—from Gaza to Syria—Trump insists diplomacy is preferable to conflict.
Still, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has previously condemned dialogue with Washington as “unwise,” casting doubt on the viability of any breakthrough. Analysts note that Iran's internal divisions and its desire to avoid appearing submissive complicate the path to any accord.
Whether direct or indirect, the weekend’s discussions could mark a turning point—or simply another chapter in the long-standing impasse.
(Associated Medias) - All rights reserved(Associated Medias) - All rights reserved