Iran and US Kick Off Nuclear Talks in Oman Amid Rising Tensions

High-stakes nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States have officially kicked off in Muscat, Oman, as both nations face mounting pressure over Tehran’s ever-advancing nuclear program.

Diplomats from both sides—led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff—arrived in Oman’s capital over the weekend, though details about the discussions remain tightly sealed. Araghchi landed in Muscat a day ahead of the talks, meeting with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who’s been acting as the middleman after brokering previous rounds in both Muscat and Rome.

The main goal? To hammer out a deal that puts the brakes on Iran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for some relief from the heavy U.S. economic sanctions choking the Iranian economy. It’s a diplomatic dance that’s as tense as it is familiar.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump isn’t exactly shy about his position—he’s threatened airstrikes if negotiations fail to yield a deal. Iranian officials, for their part, are warning they have uranium stockpiles enriched to near weapons-grade, raising the stakes if talks go south.

It’s all happening in the shadow of the 2015 nuclear deal, which originally curbed Iran’s nuclear program until Trump pulled out in 2018. That move set off years of escalating conflict and diplomatic deadlock.

But now, Trump says he’s optimistic, claiming from Air Force One en route to Rome, "The Iran situation is coming out very well. We've had a lot of talks with them and I think we're going to have a deal. I'd much rather have a deal than the other alternative. That would be good for humanity."

Still, he’s not ruling out other, less peaceful options, hinting that some folks are pushing for a "much nastier deal"—not exactly the kind of thing you want hanging over a negotiation table, but that’s international diplomacy for you.