US and Iran to hold direct nuclear negotiations in Oman on Friday

2026-02-04 - 06:49

Muscat – High-level nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran are scheduled to take place in the Sultanate of Oman on February 6. The development follows a request from Tehran to move the talks from Istanbul to Muscat, a proposal to which the Trump administration has reportedly agreed. According to reports from Axios and other international media outlets, the meeting is expected to feature direct discussions between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Iran has expressed a preference for a bilateral format, seeking to narrow the focus of the dialogue exclusively to the nuclear file while excluding broader regional issues such as ballistic missile programmes and support for allied groups. This diplomatic shift comes amidst heightened regional tensions and recent military friction in the Arabian Sea. While previous rounds of talks held in various European and Middle Eastern capitals failed to produce a final agreement, the choice of Oman—a traditional mediator between Washington and Tehran—signals a renewed effort to de-escalate the long-standing nuclear standoff.