Photo credit: globalnews.ca
Diplomatic discussions between Iranian and American representatives commenced on Saturday in Oman, centered around Iran’s advancing nuclear capabilities, a topic that has become increasingly critical following President Donald Trump’s return to office.
Although an overarching agreement is not expected immediately, the implications of these negotiations are significant, considering the long-standing tension between the two nations, which has persisted for nearly fifty years. Trump has openly threatened military action against Iran’s nuclear endeavors should a satisfactory agreement not be reached, while Iranian officials have raised alarms about their potential pursuit of nuclear weapons, given their uranium stockpile enriched to levels close to weapons-grade.
Flight-tracking information from The Associated Press indicated that a private aircraft arrived in Oman from Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Saturday morning. This flight followed a meeting between U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous day.
In the meantime, footage released by Iran’s Foreign Ministry featured Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, in discussions with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. Reports from Iran’s state news agency IRNA indicated that Araghchi shared Iran’s positions and key discussion points meant for the U.S. representatives.
According to IRNA, the negotiations were set to proceed later that day. Journalists from the Associated Press observed a convoy thought to be transporting Witkoff leaving the Omani Foreign Ministry before heading to a secure location in Muscat. Shortly thereafter, Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, announced via the social media platform X that the “indirect talks” had commenced.
Baghaei stated that the talks were arranged in a setting chosen by the Omani government, where representatives from Iran and the United States would communicate their views through the Omani Foreign Minister.
In remarks to Iranian media, Araghchi noted the potential for scheduling future discussions if both parties demonstrate a willingness to engage. However, he cautioned that it was premature to discuss concrete timelines. He emphasized that the current negotiations were indirect and solely focused on nuclear matters, aiming to secure outcomes that align with the national interests of the Iranian populace.
Meanwhile, both Trump and Witkoff have previously characterized the negotiations as “direct.” Witkoff reiterated the U.S. stance in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, asserting that the core objective is the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program. However, he also acknowledged the possibility of finding middle ground as discussions progressed.
Witkoff asserted, “Our red line is unequivocally that there can be no weaponization of your nuclear capability.” While the U.S. may offer sanctions relief to bolster Iran’s struggling economy, it remains uncertain how much Iran is prepared to compromise. Under the terms of the 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran was limited to a modest stockpile of uranium enriched to 3.67%. Currently, Tehran possesses adequate materials to potentially manufacture multiple nuclear weapons and has enriched uranium to levels nearing 60%, a significant step away from weapons-grade capabilities. Considering past negotiations following the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement in 2018, it is likely that Iran will seek to maintain enrichment up to 20%.
It is clear that Iran is unlikely to abandon its nuclear ambitions entirely. Consequently, proposals from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advocating for a military solution, akin to actions taken in Libya, seem impractical. Iranian leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have pointed to the fate of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi as a cautionary tale against trusting U.S. intentions.
Source
globalnews.ca