Iran: US Talks to Center Exclusively on Nuclear Concerns and Sanctions

• Iran and the U.S. engage in their most significant nuclear discussions since the 2015 agreement collapse.
• Negotiations will center around nuclear issues and the lifting of sanctions.
• The next round of discussions is set for April 19.

The Iranian foreign ministry announced on Sunday that upcoming talks with the United States, scheduled for next weekend, will continue to take place indirectly, facilitated by Oman, focusing exclusively on nuclear matters and sanctions relief.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held discussions in Muscat on Saturday, marking the highest-level talks regarding Iran’s nuclear program since the 2015 agreement fell through.

They agreed to reconvene in one week.

According to foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in an interview with state television, “Negotiations will remain indirect. Oman will serve as the mediator, but we are currently determining future meeting locations.”

Baqaei emphasized that the talks would strictly concentrate on the nuclear agenda and sanctions, stating that Iran “will not engage in discussions with the U.S. on any other topics.”

Analysts have indicated that the U.S. might seek to include discussions about Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for the “axis of resistance,” a coalition of militant entities opposed to Israel. However, Tehran has firmly maintained its stance, insisting on discussing only its nuclear program.

In 2018, then-President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers.

These recent negotiations followed a letter from Trump to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which urged for renewed nuclear discussions while cautioning against the potential for military action should Iran refuse to cooperate.

Both Iran and the U.S. characterized the discussions held on Saturday as “constructive.”

The negotiations involved Oman’s foreign minister serving as an intermediary, while Araghchi and Witkoff exchanged words directly for a brief moment after the talks, according to Iran’s foreign ministry.

The next set of discussions is planned for Saturday, April 19.

When asked about the state of negotiations, Trump stated to reporters on Air Force One, “I think they are going well. Nothing is final until it’s done.”

‘A Defining Moment’

Tehran’s agreement to these meetings comes despite its initial resistance to Trump’s intensified sanctions and repeated military threats.

On Sunday, Iranian media generally viewed the rare talks as a “decisive turning point” in relations between the two longstanding adversaries.

The conservative Javan newspaper commended the U.S. for not seeking to broaden the discussions to cover non-nuclear issues.

In contrast, the government-affiliated Iran newspaper described the conversations as “constructive and respectful,” quoting Araghchi’s remarks.

Meanwhile, reformist outlet Shargh labeled the encounter a “crucial turning point” for U.S.-Iran relations.

The previously skeptical Kayhan newspaper expressed concern that Iran lacks a “Plan B” while highlighting the absence of a “clear prospect for an agreement with Donald Trump.” Nonetheless, it praised that the American representatives did not focus on “dismantling nuclear facilities” or the “possibility of military strikes” during the discussions.

Diplomatic relations between Tehran and Washington have been nonexistent since the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979, which ousted the Western-supported shah.

Iran remains cautious about engaging with the U.S., frequently referencing past experiences that have eroded trust.

After Trump exited the 2015 nuclear agreement, he reinstated sweeping economic sanctions against Iran. Tehran complied with the deal for one year post-U.S. withdrawal but subsequently began to retract its commitments.

Iran has consistently denied intentions to acquire nuclear weapons.