U.S. and Iranian officials will meet Friday morning in Muscat, Oman
By Bernie,
U.S. and Iranian officials will meet Friday morning in Muscat, Oman, for the first direct talks since the June war between Israel and Iran that severely damaged Tehran's three main nuclear facilities. White House envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner will meet face-to-face with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with Oman's foreign minister present as host.
After days of dispute over format, both sides made concessions to salvage the meeting. The U.S. accepted Oman as the venue without regional actors present. Iran agreed to a face-to-face format with American officials. Both sides agreed to focus on the nuclear program but also discuss missiles and armed groups, with the goal of establishing a framework for a deal.
Senior Iranian officials told the New York Times that Tehran's leadership was concerned that wider participation would make it appear Iran was being cornered into negotiating with the entire region. Iran's currency, the rial, dropped sharply against the dollar Wednesday morning as the talks appeared on the verge of collapse.
At least nine countries, including Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, mobilized to mediate and persuade both sides to proceed. Araghchi and Witkoff have maintained intermittent direct contact by text since June, according to Iranian and American officials, though they have not met in person.
Topics: Iran, Diplomacy
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