Iran ready to continue nuclear talks with US, awaits Oman’s next steps

Spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baghaei has said that Tehran has confirmed its readiness to continue indirect negotiations with Washington over the ongoing crisis surrounding Iran's nuclear programme.

He noted that the next round of talks is expected to be scheduled by Oman, the mediator in these discussions, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

The spokesman confirmed during a press conference that the consultation round initially planned for May 3 had been postponed at the request of the mediator and with mutual consent from both sides. 

"As for the future of these talks, we are waiting for communication from Oman. Our Omani friends will coordinate the time and location, and we will be informed accordingly," Baghaei said.

Baghaei emphasised Iran's commitment to diplomatic efforts to resolve all issues related to its nuclear programme. He noted that Tehran has shown a consistent willingness to engage in dialogue and seek a peaceful resolution. 

"If the United States truly desires that Iran abandons its nuclear weapons ambitions, and if there is honesty on their part, many issues can be addressed and resolved," the Iranian diplomat added.

The ongoing talks, facilitated by Oman, have already seen three rounds of discussions aimed at addressing the nuclear crisis. 

The first round took place in Muscat on April 12, followed by a second round in Rome on April 19, and a third round in Muscat on April 26. The Iranian delegation at the talks was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while the US delegation was headed by Steven Witkoff, US president’s special envoy for the talks.

On May 1, Oman's Foreign Minister, Badr Al-Busaidi, announced that the next round of negotiations between the US and Iran, scheduled for May 3, had been postponed due to logistical reasons. In 2015, Iran and a group of international mediators, including the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Russia, the US, and France, signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). This agreement marked the end of a crisis that began in 2004, when Western nations accused Tehran of developing nuclear weapons. However, US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal during his first term.

US ex-President Joe Biden has repeatedly expressed the willingness to restore the US to the nuclear agreement. Since April 2021, the UK, Germany, China, Russia, the US, and France have been engaged in negotiations with Iran to revive the JCPOA in its original form, but those talks have so far failed to produce results. The recent talks in Muscat and Rome marked the first high-level contacts between officials from the two countries since 2022. These discussions are aimed at resolving longstanding tensions over Iran's nuclear programme. US President Donald Trump had often stated that he was prepared to use force if the Islamic Republic refused to engage in the deal.

By Naila Huseynova