Ending of Iran-U.S. Negotiations in Muscat and Agreement to Resume... Iraqi: Good and Limited to the Nuclear Issue

SadaNews - Negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Muscat concluded today, Friday, as confirmed by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, with another round to be held in the coming days. The delegations of both parties returned to their countries after the discussions, and Iran announced that the talks were limited to the nuclear file.

The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated that the talks in Muscat emphasized the interests and rights of the Iranian people, noting that the atmosphere was "positive" with an agreement on the continuity of negotiations. He asserted that this is a new beginning despite the significant lack of trust, which poses a challenge for the negotiations.

Prior to the start of the negotiations, Araghchi stressed that his country is ready "to defend its sovereignty and national security against any adventures or excessive demands".

An American official reported that "the commander of the U.S. Central Command joined the discussions with Iran in Muscat," according to the Wall Street Journal, indicating American reassurances to Israel that security concerns were strongly present during the negotiations. Conversely, Reuters quoted an Iranian diplomat stating that "the presence of military officials from the U.S. Central Command could threaten the talks in Muscat."

Another Iranian diplomat, in statements to the media, considered the presence of a military leader in the American delegation as a message that "the negotiations are under threat".

The negotiations, deemed extremely important, come in an attempt to overcome sharp disagreements over Tehran's nuclear program, with Oman playing the role of intermediary between the two sides. However, the dispute over expanding the agenda of the negotiations threatens to undermine diplomatic efforts and ignite a new conflict in the Middle East.