Can US-Iran diplomacy work? Inside the narrow window for talks

Iran wants talks with the US to stabilise before inviting regional nations to join, as Trump sends mixed messages.Published On 4 Feb 2026Tehran, Iran – In Tehran, the question is no longer whether diplomacy is under way, but whether it can move fast enough to stay ahead of escalation.An Iranian official told Al Jazeera that Oman has been confirmed as the venue for the next round of Iran-United States talks, scheduled later this week.But the official confirmed that other regional nations would not be involved in talks at the moment, despite proposals to also include them in the negotiations.Iran’s reluctance to involve regional countries in talks for now stems not from a desire to be exclusionary, but a worry that more players in the room could “risk turning the process into a political display instead of a focused negotiation”, the official said.Instead, Iran wants the talks format with the US to stabilise first, the official added.Regional mediators involved in the process have a different view: They see their role not as facilitators of talks at this stage, but as potential guarantors of any future settlement. These are, after all, countries whose own stability is directly affected by the crisis between the US and Iran.This marks a clear break from the 2015 nuclear agreement, which was built around a transactional arms control logic. In 2026, the tensions are fully of a military nature. Regional actors are no longer peripheral observers. They have a direct strategic interest in containment, de-escalation, and preventing a spillover.The timing reflects that shift. Over the past few days, Iran and regional nations have intensified their diplomacy. Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, travelled to Moscow on June 30 for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held consultations in Istanbul last Friday.