The US and Iran will also hold negotiations on Friday in Muscat, Oman’s capital. It was posted on the social media platform X by the Foreign Minister of Iran, Abbas Araghchi. He indicated that the meeting will be held at about 10 AM local time and expressed his gratitude to the Omani government for handling the logistics of the dialogue.
The relationship between Washington and Tehran has never been very smooth over the years, primarily due to its nuclear program. Through a nuclear agreement, the JCPOA, which was finalized in 2015, Iran surrendered its nuclear operations in order to receive relief from international sanctions.
Nevertheless, in 2018, the United States President at the time, Donald Trump, pulled out of the agreement and made the relations more complex. The two-way communication between the two nations has almost ceased since then, with sanctions and charges still in place.
The tensions were further heightened in recent months when anti-government protests were suppressed in Iran, and again, the issue of the nuclear program in Iran was raised. Trump had also threatened possible military action, and reports indicate that military forces have been stationed around Iran. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, threatened that any American attack would start a broader war in the region.
The escalating tension has caused fear among the Gulf countries as well as attracted a lot of international concern, and this has resulted in a new wave of diplomatic dialogue attempts.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. is prepared to make negotiations, should Iran want it this week. He further claimed that the agenda must not only cover the nuclear program of Iran but also its missile program.
