Senior Iranian and Omani diplomats met in Muscat ahead of the forthcoming indirect negotiations with the US delegation, which aim to terminate illegal sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic over the country’s civilian nuclear program.
On Saturday morning, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi, conferred on the arrangement for the indirect talks.
Araghchi expressed his satisfaction over the strong and long-standing relationship between Tehran and Muscat, appreciated Oman’s responsible approach vis-à-vis regional issues and developments, and described Oman’s hosting of indirect Iran-US talks as a testimony to such a policy.
Busaidi, for his part, welcomed the Iranian foreign minister and his accompanying delegation and lauded the close and intimate Oman-Iran ties.
He also thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran for choosing Muscat as the venue for the forthcoming indirect negotiations with the US.
‘An honorable agreement’
Araghchi has stressed that the Iranian negotiating team is looking forward to reaching an honorable agreement with the US delegation on equal footing.
“If the other side holds the same position, God willing, there will be a chance for an initial understanding that will lead to a path of negotiations,” the top Iranian diplomat pointed out.
A delegation of high-ranking Iranian diplomats, headed by Araghchi, arrived in the Omani capital of Muscat on Saturday morning to hold indirect negotiations with the US team over Tehran’s civilian nuclear program.
Spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Esmaeil Baghaei wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he and a number of his most experienced colleagues are accompanying Araghchi on the trip to the Persian Gulf kingdom.
“We are determined to employ all capacities to safeguard Iran’s might and national interests,” Baghaei pointed out.
During a meeting with media and cultural activists in Algeria on Tuesday, Araghchi emphasized that the primary objective of the upcoming negotiations with the US in Oman is to discuss the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.
“The nuclear topic, which means making transparency and giving assurances about the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the removal of the cruel sanctions, will be the only topic of the talks,” he said, outlining the agenda of the indirect talks on Saturday.
The Iranian foreign minister noted that the upcoming negotiations in Muscat will give diplomacy a new opportunity, calling them “a test to gauge the seriousness of the United States, which has a long history of non-commitment and unilateralism.”
Araghchi has already highlighted that the talks in Muscat will be led by him and the United States Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
Iran has reportedly stressed that the US delegation must refrain from employing the language of threat or making unreasonable demands regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
Additionally, the US has been advised to avoid making any proposals concerning Iran’s defense industry.
