Oman mediates indirect US-Iran talks over Tehran’s nuclear programme

Oman said it has mediated indirect talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

The country’s foreign ministry made the announcement in a post on X.

Foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi met separately with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, then with US Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

Convoys for the two countries arrived for meetings separately with the sultanate’s top diplomat at a palace on the outskirts of the capital, Muscat.

The convoy left after some time to return the Iranians to their nearby hotel, with Iranian state media acknowledging Mr Araghchi met with his Omani counterpart, Mr al-Busaidi.

Only after the Iranian vehicles left did another convoy including an SUV flying the American flag enter the palace grounds. It stayed there for about an hour and a half before leaving.

After that, Oman’s foreign ministry published a statement saying al-Busaidi met separately with Araghchi, then with Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner.

“The consultations focused on preparing the appropriate circumstances for resuming the diplomatic and technical negotiations by ensuring the importance of these negotiations, in light of the parties’ determination to ensure their success in achieving sustainable security and stability,” the Omani announcement said.

It was not immediately clear if that was the end of the talks for the day, though Omani officials left the palace immediately after the Americans.