Iran (IMNA) - In a post on X on Wednesday, Araghchi expressed gratitude to Oman for facilitating the meeting and making the necessary arrangements. Iranian media reports earlier confirmed that the negotiations will focus solely on Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program and the removal of sanctions, with no other issues on the agenda.
Araghchi is expected to head the Iranian delegation, accompanied by senior diplomats Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Kazem Gharibabadi. According to reports, the US side will be represented by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The talks will be conducted indirectly, with Oman serving as mediator. The new round of negotiations had initially been planned for Istanbul but was moved to Muscat at Iran’s request.
The format will follow previous rounds of talks held before the unlawful US-Israeli war on Iran last June, which disrupted the diplomatic process. Araghchi and Witkoff had led five rounds of negotiations last year, but discussions were halted after the Israeli regime launched an unprovoked war of aggression just two days before a scheduled sixth round. The attacks, later joined by the United States, resulted in over a thousand deaths in Iran and caused damage to civilian, military, and scientific infrastructure.
Tehran has repeatedly stressed that any dialogue with Washington must remain limited to the nuclear issue, rejecting negotiations over its missile program or regional role. Iranian officials have also emphasized that talks can only succeed in an environment free from threats and unlawful or irrational demands. Senior figures, including Ali Shamkhani, advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, have underlined that respect and realism are essential for progress.
The upcoming negotiations take place amid escalating tensions in West Asia and a growing US military presence in the region. In early January, President Donald Trump threatened Iran with attacks if the country harmed what he described as “peaceful protesters.” Days later, coordinated assaults targeted police stations, military bases, civilians, and civilian infrastructure across several Iranian cities, triggering security responses.
Iranian officials said the attacks were intended to cause mass casualties and destabilize urban centers ahead of potential new US aggression. Since Trump’s renewed threats, Iranian authorities and senior military commanders have issued firm warnings to Washington and its allies, stating that Iran’s level of military preparedness now surpasses that of the pre-war period.
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