U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States and Iran were set to begin direct talks concerning Tehran’s nuclear program. However, Iran quickly contradicted the claim, with its Foreign Minister clarifying that any discussions taking place in Oman would remain indirect.
The conflicting narratives are indicative of the deep mistrust and complex diplomatic discourse that continues to shape U.S.-Iran relations.
Trump, speaking from the Oval Office alongside visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asserted: “We’re having direct talks with Iran, and they’ve started. It’ll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we’ll see what can happen.” Without specifying the location, Trump hinted that the talks would be held at a high level and could potentially yield a breakthrough, though he also issued a warning: “If the talks aren’t successful, I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, however, countered Trump’s assertion, posting on X that high-level indirect talks would be held in Oman, facilitated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court,” Araqchi stated.
The talks are expected to involve Araqchi and U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff. While no immediate agenda has been shared, the discussions will likely center around curbing Iran’s nuclear advancements and easing tensions that have spiked across the Middle East in recent months.
This latest diplomatic overture comes amid a highly volatile regional backdrop – open conflict in Gaza and Lebanon, ongoing military operations in Yemen, a reshuffling of power in Syria, and escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran. Trump, who has significantly ramped up the U.S. military presence in the region since taking office in January, has emphasized that he prefers diplomacy over military confrontation.
Yet, his rhetoric remains sharp. In recent weeks, Trump warned Tehran against defying calls for direct negotiations, even suggesting the possibility of bombing if Iran remained non-compliant. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump reiterated on Monday, hinting that failure to reach an agreement would bring “great danger” to the Islamic Republic.
Iranian leadership, meanwhile, appears steadfast in its resistance. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ultimately holds sway over foreign policy decisions, has consistently dismissed direct engagement with the United States as “not smart, wise, or honorable.”
The U.S. and Iran last held direct nuclear negotiations during the Obama administration, which resulted in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—a multilateral accord that Trump unilaterally withdrew from in 2018. Efforts at indirect engagement under President Joe Biden’s tenure yielded little progress, leaving the fate of any new agreement uncertain.
As talks, whether direct or indirect, prepare to resume under Omani mediation, the world watches closely. With heightened tensions and the shadow of military escalation looming large, the potential outcomes carry significant implications for regional stability and global nuclear diplomacy.
Tehran Rebuffs Trump’s Claim of Direct Talks, Insists on Indirect Path Via Oman Amid Tensions and Diplomatic Chess
Just hours before U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that direct negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program were imminent, Iranian officials reiterated their stance that any forthcoming dialogue would remain indirect – and strictly mediated by Oman.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that Tehran was awaiting Washington’s response to a proposal for indirect engagement, framing the offer as “generous, responsible, and honorable.” The comments were echoed by a senior Iranian official speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, who confirmed, “The talks will not be direct… It will be with Oman’s mediation.”
Oman, which has historically played a discreet yet pivotal role in facilitating backchannel communications between Tehran and Washington, is once again positioned at the center of this delicate diplomatic dance.
In Tehran, skepticism about Trump’s public overtures ran high. Nournews, a media outlet affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, dismissed the claim of direct talks as part of a “psychological operation aimed at influencing domestic and international public opinion.”
A second Iranian official hinted at a rapidly closing window of opportunity, suggesting that there may be as little as two months to reach a deal, warning that delays could trigger unilateral military action from Israel. That concern underscores the increasingly high-stakes nature of any negotiations.
Visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a vocal critic of U.S.-Iranian diplomacy, offered a rare note of conditional support, saying that a diplomatic solution that permanently denies Iran nuclear weapons – akin to the disarmament approach taken with Libya – would be a “good thing.”
During his presidency, Trump unilaterally exited the landmark 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which had curtailed Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. He later reimposed sweeping sanctions, leading Iran to accelerate its uranium enrichment well beyond the JCPOA’s prescribed limits.
While Western powers accuse Iran of covertly seeking nuclear weapons capability, citing enrichment levels beyond civilian needs, Tehran continues to assert that its nuclear ambitions are strictly for peaceful energy purposes.
The White House National Security Council declined to comment on the nature of the talks.
This renewed diplomatic maneuvering comes at a moment of severe geopolitical fragility for Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance” – a regional alliance built over decades to counter Israeli and U.S. influence. Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, the region has been plunged into instability. Key Iranian allies, Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, have faced coordinated Israeli and U.S. military strikes. Last year, Israel also severely weakened Iran’s domestic air defenses, adding to Tehran’s sense of strategic vulnerability.
Meanwhile, the potential collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, another Iranian linchpin in the region, further erodes Iran’s regional clout.
Trump Warns of Consequences if Nuclear Talks with Iran Fail; Reaffirms Strategic Unity with Israel
Amid heightened regional tensions and nuclear brinkmanship, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the escalating Iran nuclear issue. Both leaders reaffirmed a unified stance: Iran must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
While Trump emphasized that diplomacy remains the preferred path, drawing comparisons to the denuclearization process in Libya, he issued a firm warning that failure to reach a deal could trigger serious consequences for Tehran. “Iran cannot have nuclear weapons under any circumstances,” Trump said, hinting at potential military action if negotiations collapse.
The two leaders met in Washington ahead of a high-level meeting with Iranian officials scheduled for Saturday. Trump described the upcoming dialogue as critical, expressing cautious optimism about a breakthrough. “We’re hopeful,” he said, while acknowledging skepticism among observers who believe Iran is unlikely to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Netanyahu, a long-time opponent of Iran’s nuclear program and an advocate for hardline measures, echoed Trump’s sentiments, stating that while diplomacy is the preferred route, it must lead to a comprehensive and irreversible dismantling of Iran’s nuclear capabilities. He pointed to the Libyan precedent as a potential model for success, provided Iran cooperates.
The conversation between Trump and Netanyahu extended beyond Iran, touching on broader issues of trade, regional security, and strategic cooperation. Trump lauded Netanyahu as “a special person and a true friend of the United States,” reiterating his belief that no U.S. administration has done more for Israel than his own.
This renewed display of alignment between Washington and Tel Aviv comes at a delicate juncture. Iran’s regional influence has been tested in the aftermath of the October 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict, with its proxy network—Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis—facing intensified military pressure. The instability has reshaped regional alliances and brought the specter of a broader conflict ever closer.
The forthcoming talks, which Trump characterized as being held at a “very high level,” are seen as a litmus test for whether diplomacy can still deliver results in a region teetering on the edge. While Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, Western powers continue to accuse Tehran of advancing toward weapons-grade enrichment, well beyond what is needed for civilian use.
As both Trump and Netanyahu reaffirm their commitment to a peaceful resolution, their statements also reflect a calibrated message: while negotiations are ongoing, time is limited and alternatives are being weighed. With military escalation looming and diplomatic timelines tightening, the latest developments illustrate the fragility of the current geopolitical order. Whether these indirect talks can arrest the spiral toward conflict, or merely delay the inevitable, remains to be seen.
