Iran and the United States began their third round of indirect negotiations on Saturday in Muscat, Oman.

The talks, mediated by Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, come against a backdrop of heightened tensions over Iran’s uranium enrichment and U.S. sanctions.

Iran’s delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and the U.S. team, headed by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, opened with technical discussions. Senior-level meetings are expected in the coming days. The negotiations aim to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), abandoned by the U.S. in 2018 under former President Donald Trump.

Both sides expressed cautious optimism but underscored deep divides. Iran demands the lifting of U.S. sanctions, reimposed during Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign, while defending its uranium enrichment as a sovereign right for peaceful purposes. Araghchi stated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is “achievable” but warned against “impractical” U.S. demands.

The U.S., represented at the technical level by Michael Anton, insists Iran halt enrichment and rely on imported nuclear materials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized this stance, while Trump, still a key political figure, warned that military options remain if diplomacy fails, though he prefers a deal.

Parallel talks between Iran and European powers—Britain, France, and Germany—are ongoing, but tensions persist. The U.S. is reportedly pushing allies to consider a “snapback” mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran for alleged non-compliance. Iran has threatened to exit the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if this occurs, raising fears of further escalation.

As the world watches, the Muscat talks represent a critical juncture for diplomacy to defuse one of global security’s most volatile flashpoints. (ILKHA)