Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States held in Oman were a good beginning and will continue, Iran’s foreign minister said, after growing concerns that a failure in the high-stakes negotiations could set off another Middle East war.
“It was a good start to the negotiations. And there is an understanding on continuing the talks. Coordination on how to proceed will be decided in the capitals,” the minister, Abbas Araghchi, told Iranian state TV. “If this process continues, I think we will reach a good framework for an understanding.”
Officials from both sides, who held indirect talks through Omani mediation in Oman’s capital Muscat, will return home for consultations, Araqchi said.
While both sides have indicated readiness to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Washington wanted to expand the talks to cover Iran’s ballistic missiles, support for armed groups around the region and “treatment of their own people”, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday.
Araqchi told Iran’s state news agency IRNA that “any dialogue requires refraining from threats and pressure”, adding that Tehran “only discusses its nuclear issue. We do not discuss any other issue with the US”.
Iranian officials have repeatedly said they will not discuss Iran’s missiles — one of the biggest such arsenals in the region — and have said Tehran wants recognition of its right to enrich uranium. For Washington, carrying out enrichment inside Iran is a red line.
Tehran’s clerical leadership remains deeply worried that Trump may still carry out his threats to strike Iran after a military buildup by the US Navy near Iran.
In June, the US struck Iranian nuclear targets, joining in the final stages of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign. Tehran has since said its uranium enrichment work has stopped.
