MUSCAT, Oman: Iran and the United States are set to hold talks in Oman on Friday, with Tehran insisting negotiations focus solely on its nuclear programme, while Washington seeks to expand discussions to include Iran’s ballistic missile programme and support for regional militant groups.
The talks come after several Oman-mediated rounds in 2025 were disrupted by the Iran-Israel war, during which US strikes targeted Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. US President Donald Trump has warned of possible military action following Tehran’s deadly crackdown on protests, though he has also indicated that Iran may be open to a deal.
Central to the negotiations is uranium enrichment. Iran previously enriched uranium up to 60 percent, far exceeding the 3.67 percent limit of the 2015 nuclear deal, which the US abandoned in 2018. Experts note enrichment above 20 percent has potential military applications, while 90 percent is needed for a bomb. The location of Iran’s over 400 kilograms of enriched uranium stockpiles remains uncertain after last year’s bombings. Iran has suspended cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog but has proposed diluting its uranium to 20 percent if sanctions are eased.
While Tehran insists on talks limited to nuclear issues, Washington and Israel are pressing to address Iran’s missile programme and regional interventions, setting up a complex and delicate diplomatic encounter in Muscat.
