The United States (US) President, Donald Trump, has described indirect talks between Washington and Tehran as very good on Friday, signalling that further negotiations are expected in the coming days. The discussions, held in Muscat, Oman, were mediated by Omani officials and marked the first direct diplomatic engagement between the two adversaries since tensions escalated last year amid regional conflict and U.S. military actions against Iranian nuclear sites.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he travelled to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said the dialogue had been productive and that both sides would reconvene “early next week.”
“We likewise had very good talks on Iran,” Trump said, adding, “We’re going to meet again early next week.” He also reiterated his administration’s position that if a deal is not reached, “the consequences are very steep.”
The indirect talks in Oman brought together U.S. and Iranian delegations in back-and-forth discussions facilitated by Oman’s foreign ministry, with officials shuttling between the two sides rather than meeting face-to-face. The U.S. team included Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, a notable indication of the blend of diplomatic and military interests at play.
Iran’s delegation was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who described the atmosphere as positive, emphasising that the talks had focused on the nuclear programme. Araghchi told Iranian state television that in a “very positive atmosphere, our arguments were exchanged and the views of the other side were shared with us,” and indicated that both sides had “agreed to continue negotiations.”
The backdrop to the talks is a region still on edge. Since last year’s 12-day conflict involving U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Washington has deployed a aircraft carrier and other naval assets to Middle Eastern waters, a show of force that underscores the unresolved tensions even as diplomats engage. Trump’s warnings of “very steep” consequences if Iran does not accept terms reflect ongoing pressure alongside diplomacy.
France and other allied nations have voiced support for diplomatic progress but have also called on Iran to cease what they describe as destabilising activities in the region. Iranian hopes to continue discussions hinge, in part, on Washington refraining from overt threats and sanctions, according to Araghchi’s remarks quoted by state media.
As the world watches, both sides appear committed to additional negotiations next week, though it remains unclear whether this renewed dialogue will produce a comprehensive agreement to defuse one of the most persistent flashpoints in global geopolitics.
