Oman mediates Iran-US nuclear talks amid tensions and Trump’s threats

Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman over Tehran’s nuclear programme on Friday, months after America bombed Iran’s uranium enrichment sites and just weeks following nationwide protests that convulsed the Islamic Republic.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the talks as “a very good start” even as the parties met Oman’s top diplomat at different times at a palace on the outskirts of the country’s capital, Muscat.Both Araghchi and the Omanis described the talks themselves as focused on merely trying to find a way to hold future negotiations – seemingly returning to the start of discussions about the Iranian nuclear programme that unfolded over months a year ago, before Israel launched its 12-day war on Iran in June.The US side, represented by US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, had no immediate comment on the talks.In an unusual development, US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of the American military’s Central Command, also attended the meeting – something unusual that has not happened in previous rounds and likely served as a signal to Tehran that Washington may still strike Iran if negotiations fail.With the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships in the region, along with more fighter jets, the US now likely has the military firepower to launch an attack if it wanted. But whether attacks could be enough to force Iran to change its ways – or potentially topple its government – remains far from a sure thing.