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Iran and US set for talks in Oman over nuclear program after Tehran shaken by nationwide protests

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+ Special Series Middle East conflict Conflict in the Middle East has been escalating. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.
By The Associated Press
− FILE - This
+ Side-by-side
− combo
+ photos
− shows
+ show
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas
− Araghchi,
+ Araghchi
− left,
+ (left)
pictured in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 25,
− 2025
+ 2025,
and Steve
− Witkoff,
+ Witkoff
− right,
+ (right),
White House special envoy, pictured in Washington, on March 19, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein/AP hide caption
+ MUSCAT, Oman —
Iran and the United States
− stood poised Friday
− to
+ held
− hold
+ indirect
− negotiations
+ talks
in Oman
− at
− least
+ on
− over
+ Friday,
− Tehran's
+ negotiations
− nuclear
+ that
− program
+ appeared
− after
+ to
− a
+ return
− chaotic
+ to
− week
+ the
− that
+ starting
− initially
+ point
− saw
+ on
− plans
+ how
− for
+ to
− regional
+ approach
− countries
+ discussions
− to
+ over
− take
+ Tehran's
− part
+ nuclear
− in
+ program.
− talks
+ But
− in
+ for
− Turkey. The
+ the
− two
+ first
− countries
+ time,
− have
+ America
− returned
+ brought
− to
+ its
− Oman,
+ top
− a
+ military
− sultanate
+ commander
− on
+ in
the
− eastern
+ Middle
− edge
+ East
− of
+ to
the
− Arabian Peninsula, months
− after
+ table. The
− rounds
+ presence
of
− meetings
+ U.S.
− turned
+ Navy
− to
+ Adm.
− ash
+ Brad
− following
+ Cooper,
− Israel's
+ the
− launch
+ head
of
− a
− 12-day
+ the
− war
+ American
− against
+ military's
− Iran
+ Central
− back
+ Command,
in
− June.
− The
+ his
− U.S.
+ dress
− bombed
+ uniform
− Iranian
+ at
− nuclear
+ the
− sites
+ talks
− during
+ in
− that
+ Muscat,
− war,
+ the
− likely
+ Omani
− destroying
+ capital,
− many
+ served
− of
+ as
− the
+ a
− centrifuges
+ reminder
that
− spun
+ the
− uranium
+ aircraft
− to
+ carrier
− near
+ USS
− weapons-grade
+ Abraham
− purity.
+ Lincoln
− Israel's
+ and
− attacks
+ other
− decimated
+ warships
− Iran's
+ were
− air
+ now
− defenses
+ off
− and
+ the
− targeted
+ coast
− its
+ of
− ballistic
+ Iran
− missile
+ in
− arsenal
+ the
− as
+ Arabian
− well.
+ Sea.
− U.S. officials like Secretary
+ President
− of
+ Donald
− State
+ Trump
− Marco
+ has
− Rubio
+ repeatedly
− believe
+ threatened
− Iran's
+ to
− theocracy
+ use
− is
+ force
− now
+ to
− at
+ compel
− its
+ Iran
− weakest
+ to
− point
+ reach
− since
+ a
− its
+ deal
− 1979
+ on
− Islamic
+ the
− Revolution
+ program
after
− nationwide protests last
− month
+ earlier
− represented
+ sending
the
− greatest
− challenge
+ carrier
to
− 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
− Khamenei's
+ the
− rule.
+ region
− Khamenei's
+ over
− forces
+ Tehran's
− responded
+ bloody
− with
+ crackdown
− a
+ on
− bloody
+ nationwide
− crackdown
+ protests
that killed thousands and
− reportedly
saw tens of thousands
− arrested — and spurred
− new
+ of
− military
+ others
− threats
+ detained
− by
+ in
− U.S.
+ the
− President
+ Islamic
− Donald
+ Republic. Gulf
− Trump
+ Arab
− to
+ nations
− target
+ fear
− the
+ an
− country. With
+ attack
− the
+ could
− aircraft
+ spark
− carrier
+ a
− USS
+ regional
− Abraham
+ war
− Lincoln
+ that
− and
+ would
− other
+ drag
− warships
+ them
in
− the region
− along
+ as
− with
+ well. That
− more
+ threat
− fighter
+ is
− jets,
+ real
− the
+ —
U.S.
− now
− likely
+ forces
− has
+ shot
− the
+ down
− military
+ an
− firepower
+ Iranian
− to
+ drone
− launch
+ near
− an
+ the
− attack
+ Lincoln
− if
+ and
− it
+ Iran
− wanted.
+ attempted
− But
+ to
− whether
+ stop
− attacks
+ a
− could
+ U.S.-flagged
− be
+ ship
− enough
+ in
− to
+ the
− force
+ Strait
− Iran
+ of
− to
+ Hormuz
− change
+ just
− its
+ days
− ways
+ before
− —
+ Friday's
− or
+ talks
− potentially
+ in
− topple
+ this
− its
+ sultanate
− government
+ on
− —
+ the
− remains
+ eastern
− far
+ edge
− from
+ of
− a
+ the
− sure
+ Arabian
− thing.
+ Peninsula.
− Meanwhile, Gulf
+ In
− Arab
+ this
− nations
+ photo
− fear
+ released
− an
+ by
− attack
+ the
− could
+ Iranian
− spark
+ Foreign
− a
+ Ministry,
− regional
+ Iranian
− war
+ Foreign
− dragging
+ Minister
− them
+ Abbas
− in
+ Araghchi
− as
+ (center)
− well.
+ heads
− That
+ to
− threat
+ a
− is
+ venue
− real
+ for
− —
+ talks
− already,
+ between
− U.S.
+ Iran
− forces
+ and
− shot
+ the
− down
+ U.S.,
− an
+ in
− Iranian
+ Muscat,
− drone
+ Oman,
− near
+ Friday.
− the
+ Iranian
− Lincoln
+ Foreign
− and
+ Ministry/AP
− Iran
+ hide
− attempted
+ caption "We
− to
+ did
− stop
+ note
− a
+ that
− U.S.-flagged
+ nuclear
− ship
+ talks
− in
+ and
the
− Strait
+ resolution
of
− Hormuz. "President
− Trump
+ the
− seeks
+ main
− to
+ issues
− corner
+ must
− Iran
+ take
− into
+ place
− reaching
+ in
a
− negotiated
− solution,
+ calm
− strong-arming
+ atmosphere,
− its
+ without
− leaders
+ tension
− into
+ and
− making
+ without
− concessions
+ threats,"
− on
+ Iranian
− the
+ Foreign
− nuclear
+ Minister
− deal,"
+ Abbas
− said
+ Araghchi
− Alissa
+ later
− Pavia,
+ told
− a
+ journalists. "The
− fellow
+ prerequisite
− at
+ for
− the
+ any
− Atlantic
+ dialogue
− Council.
+ is
− "The
+ refraining
− Iranians,
+ from
− on
+ threats
− the
+ and
− other
+ pressure,"
− hand,
+ he
− are
+ added.
− weakened
+ "We
− after
+ stated
− years
+ this
− of
+ point
− proxy
+ explicitly
− warfare,
+ today
− economic
+ as
− crisis,
+ well,
and
− internal unrest.
− Trump
+ we
− is
+ expect
− aware
+ it
− of
+ to
− this
+ be
− vulnerability
+ observed
− and
+ so
− is
+ that
− hoping
+ the
− to
+ possibility
− use
+ of
− it
+ continuing
− to
+ the
− extract
+ talks
− concessions
+ exists." The
− and
+ U.S.,
− make
+ represented
− inroads
+ by
− toward
+ U.S.
− a
+ Mideast
− renewed
+ special
− nuclear
+ envoy
− agreement." Few
+ Steve
− details
+ Witkoff
− on
+ and
− talks
+ Jared
− ahead
+ Kushner,
− of
+ Trump's
− meeting The
+ son-in-law,
− scope,
+ did
− nature
+ not
− and
+ immediately
− participants
+ comment
− in
+ on
the
− talks remain unclear,
− just
+ talks.
− hours
+ Araghchi
− before
+ said
− they
+ diplomats
− were
+ would
− due
+ return
to
− begin in
− Muscat,
+ their
− the
+ capitals,
− Omani
+ signaling
− capital
+ this
− nestled
+ round
− in
+ of
− the
+ negotiations
− Hajar
+ was
− Mountains.
+ over. Sources
− Officials
+ &
− at
+ Methods
− Oman's
+ Can
− borders
+ Iran
− on
+ negotiate
− Thursday
+ its
− showed
+ way
− particular
+ out
− concern
+ of
− over
+ a
− anyone
+ U.S.
− carrying
+ attack?
− cameras
+ Iran's
− into
+ top
− the
+ diplomat
− sultanate
+ offers
− before
+ a
− the
+ positive
− negotiations.
+ note
− On
+ Araghchi
− the
+ offered
− Iranian
+ cautious
− side,
+ optimism
− Foreign
+ as
− Minister
+ he
− Abbas
+ spoke
− Araghchi
+ in
− arrived
+ a
− at
+ live
− night
+ interview
− along
+ from
− with
+ Muscat
− multiple
+ on
Iranian
− diplomats,
+ state
− the
+ television.
− state-run
+ He
− IRNA
+ described
− news
+ Friday's
− agency
+ talks
− reported. Flight-tracking
+ as
− data
+ taking
− showed
+ place
− the
+ over
− plane
+ multiple
− that
+ rounds
− carried
+ and
− him
+ said
− to
+ that
− Muscat
+ they
− initially
+ were
− started
+ focused
− its
+ primarily
− journey
+ on
− from
+ finding
− Tabas,
+ a
− Iran,
+ framework
− the
+ for
− site
+ further
− of
+ negotiations. "We
− the
+ will
− disastrous
+ hold
− Operation
+ consultations
− Eagle
+ with
− Claw
+ our
− in
+ capitals
− 1980,
+ regarding
− when
+ the
− a
+ next
− U.S.
+ steps,
− Special
+ and
− Forces
+ the
− mission
+ results
− attempted
+ will
− to
+ be
− rescue
+ conveyed
− hostages
+ to
− held
+ Oman's
− after
+ foreign
− the
+ minister,"
− 1979
+ Araghchi
− U.S.
+ said. "The
− Embassy
+ mistrust
− takeover
+ that
− in
+ has
− Tehran.
+ developed
− A
+ is
− sandstorm
+ a
− in
+ serious
− Tabas
+ challenge
− aborted
+ facing
the
− mission
+ negotiations,"
− and
+ Araghchi
− eight
+ said.
− service
+ "We
− members
+ must
− died
+ first
− when
+ address
− a
+ this
− helicopter
+ issue,
− crashed
+ and then enter
into
− a
+ the
− C-120
+ next
− refueling
+ level
− aircraft
+ of
− there.
+ negotiations." Omani
− Iran's
+ Foreign
− theocracy
+ Minister
− long
+ Badr
− has
+ al-Busaidi,
− portrayed
+ who
− the
+ oversaw
− mission
+ multiple
− as
+ rounds
− God
+ of
− defeating
+ negotiations
− the
+ before
− Americans. Araghchi
+ Israel
− wrote
+ launched
− on
+ its
− X
+ 12-day
− that
+ war
− "Iran
+ on
− enters
+ Iran
− diplomacy
+ in
− with
+ June,
− open
+ called
− eyes
+ the
− and
+ talks
− a
+ "useful
− steady
+ to
− memory
+ clarify
− of
+ both
the
− past
− year." "Commitments
+ Iranian
− need
+ and
− to
+ American
− be
+ thinking
− honored,"
+ and
− he
+ identify
− wrote.
+ areas
− "Equal
+ for
− standing,
+ possible
− mutual
+ progress." Still,
− respect
+ Oman
− and
+ described
− mutual
+ the
− interest
+ talks
− are
+ as
− not
+ a
− rhetoric
+ means
− —
+ to
− they
+ find
− are
+ "the
− a
+ requisite
− must
+ foundations
− and
+ for
the
− pillars
+ resumption
of
− a
+ both
− durable
+ diplomatic
− agreement." Ahead
+ and
− of
+ technical
− the
+ negotiations"
− meeting,
+ rather than
a
− top
+ step
− adviser
+ toward
− to
+ reaching
− Khamenei
+ a
− appeared
+ nuclear
− to
+ deal
− offer
+ or
− the
+ easing
− theocracy's
+ tensions. The
− support
+ had
− to
+ initialy
− the
+ been
− 63-year-old
+ expected
− career
+ to
− diplomat. Araghchi
+ take
− "is
+ place
− a
+ in
− skilled,
+ Turkey
− strategic
+ in
− and
+ a
− trustworthy
+ format
− negotiator
+ that
− at
+ would
− the
+ have
− highest
+ included
− levels
+ regional
− of
+ countries
− decision-making
+ as
− and
+ well,
− military
+ and
− intelligence,"
+ would
− Ali
+ have
− Shamkhani
+ included
− wrote
+ topics
− on
+ like
− X.
+ Tehran's
− "Soldiers
+ ballistic
− of
+ missile
− the
+ program
− nation
+ —
− in
+ something
− the
+ Iran
− armed
+ apparently
− forces
+ rejected
− &
+ in
− generals
+ favor
of
− diplomacy,
+ focusing
− acting
+ only
− under
+ on
− the
+ its
− order
+ nuclear
− of
+ program. Before
the
− Leader,
+ June
− will
+ war,
− safeguard
+ Iran
− the
+ had
− nation's
+ been
− interests." On
+ enriching
− the
+ uranium
− U.S.
+ up
− side,
+ to
− it
+ 60%
− appeared
+ purity,
− that
+ a
− talks
+ short,
− would
+ technical
− be
+ step
− led
+ away
− by
+ from
− U.S.
+ weapons-grade
− Mideast
+ levels.
− special
+ The
− envoy
+ U.N.
− Steve
+ nuclear
− Witkoff,
+ watchdog
− a
+ —
− 68-year-old
+ International
− billionaire
+ Atomic
− New
+ Energy
− York
+ Agency
− real
+ —
− estate
+ had
− mogul
+ said
− and
+ Iran
− longtime
+ was
− friend
+ the
− to
+ only
− Trump.
+ country
− Traveling
+ in
− with
+ the
− Witkoff
+ world
− on
+ to
− his
+ enrich
− Mideast
+ to
− trip
+ that
− so
+ level
− far
+ that
− is
+ wasn't
− Jared
+ armed
− Kushner,
+ with
− Trump's
+ the
− son-in-law
+ bomb. Iran
− who
+ has
− in
+ been
− recent
+ refusing
− weeks
+ requests
− has
+ by
− shared
+ the
− proposals
+ IAEA
− for
+ to
− the
+ inspect
− Gaza
+ the
− Strip
+ sites
− and
+ bombed
− took
+ in
− part
+ the
− in
+ June
− trilateral
+ war,
− talks
+ raising
− with
+ the
− Russia
+ concerns
− and
+ of
− Ukraine
+ nonproliferation
− in
+ experts.
− Abu
+ Even
− Dhabi
+ before
− earlier
+ that,
− on
+ Iran
− the
+ has
− trip. The
+ restricted
− two
+ IAEA
− men
+ inspections
− had
+ since
− traveled
+ Trump's
− from
+ decision
− Abu
+ in
− Dhabi
+ 2018
to
− Qatar
+ unilaterally
− on
+ withdraw
− Thursday
+ America
− night
+ from
− for
+ Iran's
− meetings
+ 2015
− with
+ nuclear
− officials
+ deal
− there,
+ with
− the
+ world
− Qatari-funded
+ powers. Omani
− satellite
+ palace
− news
+ hosts
− network
+ talks Friday's
− Al
+ talks
− Jazeera
+ saw
− reported.
+ in-person
− Qatar,
+ meetings
− which
+ at
− shares
+ a
− an
+ palace
− offshore
+ near
− natural
+ Muscat's
− gas
+ international
− field
+ airport,
− in
+ used
− the
+ by
− Persian
+ Oman
− Gulf
+ in
− with
+ earlier
− Iran,
+ talks
− also
+ Iran-U.S.
− hosts
+ talks
− a
+ in
− major
+ 2025.
− U.S.
+ Associated
− military
+ Press
− installation
+ journalists
− that
+ saw
− Iran
+ Iranian
− attacked
+ officials
− back
+ first
− in
+ at
the
− June
+ palace
− war. Nuclear
+ and
− program
+ later
− on
+ returning
− the
+ to
− table
+ their
− at
+ hotel before
the
− least
+ Americans came separately.
It remains unclear just what terms Iran
− will
− be
+ is
willing to negotiate at the talks. Tehran has maintained that these talks
− only
will
+ only
be on its nuclear program. However,
+ the
Al Jazeera
+ satellite news network
reported that diplomats from Egypt, Turkey and Qatar offered Iran a proposal in which Tehran would halt enrichment for three years, send its highly enriched uranium out of the country and pledge "not initiate the use of ballistic missiles." Russia had signaled it would take the uranium, but
− Shamkhani in an interview earlier this
− week
+ Iran
− had
+ has
said ending the program or shipping out the uranium were
− nonstarters for the country. Meanwhile, the talks would not include any pledge by Iran over its self-described "Axis of Resistance," a network of militias in the region allied to Tehran as a deterrent to both Israel and the
+ nonstarters.
U.S.
− However, Israeli
− attacks
+ Secretary
− on
+ of
− the
+ State
− militiasduring
+ Marco
− its
+ Rubio
− war
+ said
on
− Hamas in the Gaza
− Strip
+ Wednesday
− decimated
+ that
the
− network. Rubio, America's top diplomat, said
talks needed to include all those issues.
− "I think in order for talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things, and that includes the range of their ballistic missiles," Rubio told journalists Wednesday. "That includes their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region. That includes the nuclear program, and that includes the treatment of their own people."
− He added:
"I'm not sure you can reach a deal with these guys, but we're going to try to find
− out."
+ out," he said.
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