US and Iran talks to begin as fears of direct conflict continue
Senior US and Iranian officials are expected to meet in Oman for direct talks in the coming hours, amid a crisis that has raised fears of a military confrontation between the two countries.
The discussions come after a US military build-up in the Middle East in response to Iran’s violent repression of nationwide anti-government protests last month, that human rights groups say killed many thousands of people.
Uncertainty over the location and scope had threatened to derail the talks, which are part of a diplomatic effort by regional mediators to de-escalate tensions.
Both countries remain far apart in their positions. The hope is that, if successful, the discussions could lead to a framework for negotiations.
The US, which is demanding Iran freezes its nuclear programme and discards its stockpile of enriched uranium, had said the talks should also involve Iran’s ballistic missiles, the country’s support for regional armed groups and its treatment of its citizens.
Iran, however, has said the discussions will be limited to its nuclear programme, and it is unclear if these differences have been resolved.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if it does not reach a deal. The US has sent thousands of troops and what Trump has described as an “armada” to the region, including an aircraft carrier along with other warships as well as fighter jets.
Iran has vowed to respond to an attack with force, threatening to strike American military assets in the Middle East and Israel.
The Iranian delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who last week said his country’s armed forces were “with their fingers on the trigger”, while the US will be represented by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared
This will be the first meeting involving US and Iranian officials since the war between Israel and Iran last June, when the US bombed Iran’s three main nuclear facilities.
Iran says its uranium enrichment activity stopped after the attacks.
For Iran’s embattled leaders, the talks could be the last chance to avert US military action that could further destabilise the regime, which analysts say is in its weakest position since it came to power following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Trump’s threats came as Iran’s security forces brutally repressed large-scale demonstrations, which were triggered by a deepening economic crisis, and saw protesters calling for the end of the Islamic Republic.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency, a Washington-based group, said it had confirmed at least 6,883 deaths, warning that the number could be much higher, and that more than 50,000 people had been arrested.
The current crisis has brought back to discussions the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme, which has been at the centre of a long-running dispute with the West.
For decades, Iran has said its programme is for peaceful purposes, while the US and Israel have accused it of being part of an effort to develop a weapon.
Iran says it has the right to enrich uranium in its own territory and has rejected calls for its stockpile of highly enriched uranium – 400kg (880lb) – to be transferred to a third country.