Iran's Khamenei stays away from talks as JD Vance says dynamic makes diplomacy 'much more complicated'

Fox News - WorldCenter-RightEN 4 min read 100% complete February 6, 2026 at 02:05 PM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran began in Oman on Friday. The absence of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei from these talks has raised concerns, with Vice President JD Vance noting the difficulty of diplomacy when the ultimate decision-maker is not at the table. Khamenei, who has served as Iran's supreme leader since 1989, holds ultimate authority over military, security, and strategic decisions. Experts suggest Khamenei's absence is due to diplomatic protocol and his direct control over Iran's power centers. Sources indicate Khamenei views confrontation with the U.S. as defining his historical role and is focused on preserving his legacy.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tehran 40% Behnam Ben Taleblu 40% Fox News Digital ×340% George Washington University 40% Oman 40% Donald Trump 50% Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) 50% Sina Azodi ×260% JD Vance ×280% United States ×385% Iran ×590% Ali Khamenei ×895%

Keywords

iran 90% diplomacy 90% ali khamenei 80% negotiations 70% u.s. relations 70% leadership 60% strategic decisions 50% political authority 50% legacy 40% indirect talks 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

Fox News - World

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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iran diplomacy ali khamenei negotiations u.s. relations leadership strategic decisions political authority legacy indirect talks

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