Iran’s top diplomat said on Friday that nuclear talks with the U.S. mediated by Oman were off to a “good start” and set to continue, in remarks that could help allay concern that failure to reach a deal might nudge the Middle East closer to war.
But Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said after the talks in the Omani capital Muscat, which involved him, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, that “any dialogue requires refraining from threats and pressure. (Tehran) only discusses its nuclear issue … We do not discuss any other issue with the U.S.”
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,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday.
A regional diplomat briefed by Tehran on the talks told Reuters Iran insisted on its “right to enrich uranium” during the negotiations with the U.S., adding that Tehran’s missile capabilities were not raised in the discussions.
While Iran ruled out Washington’s demand for no enrichment on its soil, the diplomat who asked not to be named said Tehran showed openness to discussing the “level and purity” of enrichment or alternative arrangements, including a potential regional consortium.
In return, Iran had several demands, such as “efficient and immediate sanctions relief, including banking and oil, and the moving of U.S. military assets away from Iran.”
Iranian officials have repeatedly ruled out putting Iran’s missiles - one of the largest such arsenals in the Middle East — up for discussion, and have said Tehran wants recognition of its right to enrich uranium.
For Washington, carrying out enrichment — a possible pathway to nuclear bombs — inside Iran is a red line. Tehran has long denied any intent to weaponise nuclear fuel production.
However, the diplomat said, Tehran believed the U.S. negotiators “seemed to understand Iran’s stance on the enrichment.”
Araqchi earlier told Iran’s state TV that “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,” Araqchi said. “If this process continues, I think we will reach a good framework for an understanding.”
Mediator Badr al-Busaidi, Oman’s foreign minister, said the talks had been “very serious,” with results to be considered carefully in Tehran and Washington. The goal was to reconvene in due course.
Despite the talks, the United States announced on Friday it was sanctioning 15 entities and 14 shadow-fleet vessels connected to illicit trade in Iranian petroleum, petroleum products and petrochemical products, the latest U.S. economic measures targeting Tehran and trade with it.
Iran’s leadership remains deeply worried that Trump may carry out his threats to strike Iran after a U.S. naval buildup in the seas in the region.
Last June, the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear targets, joining in the final stages of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign. Tehran has since said it has halted uranium enrichment activity.
The naval buildup, which Trump has called a massive “armada,” has followed a bloody government crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran last month, heightening tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Trump has said “bad things” will probably happen if a deal cannot be reached, increasing pressure on the Islamic Republic in a standoff that has led to mutual threats of airstrikes.
World powers and regional states fear a breakdown in the negotiations would ignite another conflict between the U.S. and Iran that could spill over to the rest of the oil-producing region.
Iran has vowed a harsh response to any strike and has cautioned neighbouring Gulf Arab countries that host U.S. bases that they could be in the firing line if they were involved in an attack.
In a show of defiance, Iranian state TV said hours before the talks that “one of the country’s most advanced long-range ballistic missiles, the Khorramshahr-4,” had been deployed at one of the Revolutionary Guard’s underground “missile cities.”
However, Tehran is willing to show “flexibility” on uranium enrichment, including by handing over 400 kg of highly enriched uranium - refined closer to bomb-grade - and accepting zero enrichment under a consortium arrangement as a solution, Iranian officials told Reuters last week.
Iran also demands the lifting of U.S. sanctions, reimposed since 2018 when Trump, during his first term in the White House, ditched Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers.
The U.S., its European allies and Israel accuse Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, but Tehran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.
