We need to know about talking to Iran about its nuclear programme

A short handshake may be the most likely outcome from preliminary diplomatic talks set on Saturday between US and Iranian officials.

Perhaps it’s enough to continue the debate, and could lead to the first formal face-to-face negotiations between the two countries since President Trump abandoned the groundbreaking nuclear deal seven years ago.

The speech in Oman’s Gulf states serves as a sentimental session to see if the Trump administration and Iranian administrative leaders can move to full negotiations to limit Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran’s news media reported that Iranian foreign minister Abbas Aragci had it Arrived with a small delegation On Saturday morning, Muscat is the capital of Oman that has been used by American and Iranian diplomats as territory for neutral negotiations for many years. Steve Witkoff, the leader of American official Trump’s team, landed in Muscat on Saturday, according to flight tracking data.

Considering Trump’s departure, both sides have deep distrust. 2015 Accord That Iran mediated in the US and other world powers, and subsequently imposed severe sanctions on Tehran during his first term.

Trump now wants to attack the deal. He hopes to show off his negotiation skills and that the fascinating tensions between Iran and Israel will escalate into a more intense conflict and prevent it from hitting the Middle East further.

“I want to be a great, great, happy country in Iran, but they cannot have nuclear weapons.” He told reporters Friday night I’m in the Air Force.

Iranian officials are skeptical, but will be open to “the first chance of understanding to mark the path of negotiation.” I said it on Saturday.

The goals for Saturday’s meeting were modest, reflecting the gap between the two sides. It’s about agreeing to the negotiation framework and timeline. As Trump repeated Saturday, it is not clear whether the envoy will speak directly whether he insisted, or whether he will send Omani intermediaries back and forth between rooms and hand over the message, as Trump argued.

Omani’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busadi met separately with Mr. Aragut and Mr. Witkov to outline the form of consultation. The Iranian delegation will be open to talking about scaling backback uranium enrichment and external surveillance of its nuclear activity, according to two Iranian officials who spoke about the conditions of anonymity to discuss sensitive issues. They said the negotiators were not interested in discussing the dismantling of the nuclear program, argued by Trump administration officials.

Experts predict it handshake Or another short encounter is a way to satisfy both sides and send a gesture of goodwill without direct negotiation.

Last week, Trump said it relied on instinct to see if Saturday’s talks could get caught up in further negotiations, ending “when they think they’re not going well.”

What is at risk?

The problem is the shrinking power of the original nuclear deal, with European leaders lined up since 2018 when Trump retracted the United States. contract Most punishment restrictions expire in October.

Known as the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan, the agreement, completed under President Barack Obama, was the result of years of hard-working and technical negotiations that agreed to lift international sanctions against Iran in exchange for restrictions on the nuclear program.

It is known that only nine countries in the world have nuclear weapons, and adding Iran to the list could pose existential threats to its major enemies, Israel, and other countries. Experts also raise concerns Iran can share its nuclear capabilities with terrorist groups.

Iran has long argued that its nuclear activity is legal and means only private purposes, such as energy and medicine. But it has a highly enriched uranium, Over the level required for civilian usecan be used to make nuclear warheads.

In the years since Trump withdraws from the nuclear deal, Iran has steadily accelerated its uranium enrichment, with some experts presuming it can quickly build nuclear weapons. That economy collapses under US sanctions, Trump this week New measures have been imposed It targets Iran’s oil trade.

Israeli government is worried that Iran is pushing to expand its nuclear program and destroy it.

“A contract with Iran will only be accepted if the nuclear presence is destroyed under US supervision,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. I said this week. “If not, military choice is your only option.”

While Aragut was closely involved in previous negotiations, Witkov has little experience with the technical aspects of Iran’s program. He later arrived in Oman Visit Friday St. Petersburg for consultations with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin about a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Iran will ensure that it will extend diplomatic consultations where possible, exceeding the October 18 deadline, which will delay Israel’s military action and impose UN authority to impose swift “snapback” sanctions on Iran.

“They have the opportunity to connect Israel with the United States, negotiate and get caught up in negotiations that make them think that negotiations will produce a lot,” said Elliot Abrams, Trump’s Iranian envoy in his first term. “So the negotiations begin, and it hinders Israel, they continue, they continue.”

He said, but Iran would commit a little more than what he agreed to in the 2015 agreement. Such outcomes will inspire Israel.

It could also be argued that he made a better deal than his Democratic predecessor, as it may not be enough for Trump, who previously demanded a lot of restrictions on both Iranian missile development and the proxies in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.

On Saturday, Iran’s news media said efforts to negotiate aspects of Iran’s defense and military capabilities, the presence of the region, or other domestic issues mean that negotiations will “end much faster.”

Diplomacy or conflict?

Abrams predicted that Israel would eventually hit Iran anyway. At least since last fall, Israel I’m preparing Very accurate long-range missiles, including those that could hit underground targets due to air strikes in Iran.

The Trump administration also deployed exceptional military accumulation within range, including two aircraft carriers, an additional B-2 stealth bomber, fighter jets, and air defense.

But Trump wants to keenly avoid a new war in the region. The advisor warns It will alienate military resources Other potential threatslike China, undermines his efforts to become the president of peace.

Still, Trump says he’s prepared for the worst.

“If that requires an army, we’re going to have an army,” he said Wednesday. Israel added: “It will obviously be its leader.”

Iran is also training itself.

“Mark my words: Iran likes diplomacy, but knows how to protect itself,” Aragucci said recently. “We seek peace, but we never accept obedience. ”

Fanaz Fassich, Adam Lasgon and Lily Nikounazar Reports of contributions.