Iranian and American officials held a brief face-to-face conversation on Saturday after more than two and a half hours of indirect negotiations in the Omani capital, Iranian state-affiliated news agency Tasnim reported.
The encounter marked a rare moment of direct diplomacy between the two longtime adversaries and concluded on a positive note, according to the report.
The meeting, led by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, took place in the presence of Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who has been mediating between the two sides.
The talks are aimed at de-escalating regional tensions and laying the groundwork for a possible agreement on controlling Iran’s advancing nuclear program. They also reportedly cover the possibility of prisoner exchanges and limited sanction relief. The discussions are taking place against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning that failure to reach a deal could lead to military action.
Saturday’s meeting marked the first direct engagement between Iranian and U.S. delegations under Trump’s administration since his return to office. Until now, all communications had been conducted indirectly, with Omani officials acting as intermediaries.
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Despite the breakthrough in direct contact, the negotiations have concluded for now and are expected to resume next week, according to Tasnim. However, there has been no official confirmation from either Washington or Tehran regarding the conclusion or the outcomes of the talks.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meets with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi
(Photo: Reuters)
Trump has reinstated a maximum pressure campaign on Iran, reimposing sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal that he withdrew from during his first term. Since then, Iran has accelerated its uranium enrichment, prompting growing international concern over the potential development of nuclear weapons capabilities—a charge Tehran denies.
With tensions escalating across the region, both sides have expressed cautious optimism, though significant gaps remain. Iranian officials say any progress will depend on whether the U.S. approaches the talks “with an equal stance,” while Washington has reiterated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains a red line.
First published: 15:47, 04.12.25