The United States and Iran are due to hold talks in Oman on Friday after Tehran requested a change of venue to limit negotiations strictly to its nuclear programme, as a buildup of US forces in the Middle East has raised fears of a confrontation.
Iran sought to hold the meeting in Oman as a continuation of previous rounds of talks on its nuclear programme, asking for a shift from Turkey to avoid any expansion of discussions to issues such as its ballistic missile programme, a regional official said, according to sources. Tehran has said it will not make concessions on its ballistic missile programme, one of the largest in the Middle East, describing it as a red line in negotiations. Iran has maintained from the outset that talks should focus solely on its nuclear activities, while Washington has sought to include other issues.
President Donald Trump has warned that “bad things” could happen if a deal is not reached. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, he said, “We are negotiating with them right now,” but declined to specify where the talks would take place. A source familiar with the matter said Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was expected to take part in the talks, along with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Ministers from several countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, had been expected to attend, but Tehran sought strictly bilateral talks with Washington.
Tensions escalated on Tuesday after the US military shot down an Iranian drone that approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. In a separate incident in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps forces approached a US-flagged tanker at high speed and threatened to seize it, but the vessel accelerated and continued its voyage. Previous US-Iran nuclear talks were held in Oman in 2025, mediated by the Omani government, focusing on limiting Tehran’s nuclear programme. Multiple rounds in Muscat helped narrow differences, though key disagreements persisted.
