ROMA (ITALPRESS) – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said today, through his X account, that Iran faces the diplomatic phase with the United States “with open eyes and a memory that includes what happened last year”. Araghchi called on the “ reciprocal respect” to start negotiations with Washington in Oman, underlining: “We will strive with good faith and defend our rights. Mutual respect and common interest are not just words, but an indispensable necessity.” Today they are held in Muscat, capital of Oman, high-level talks between Iran and the United States on the Tehran nuclear program. Despite the commitment declared by both sides to relaunch diplomacy to defuse the long nuclear dispute with the West, significant differences persist on the agenda, making concrete progress difficult in a context of increasing fears for a regional military escalation in the Middle East.
On the Iranian side, Araghchi – who leads the Tehran delegation – reiterated its intention to restrict the negotiations to the nuclear question and to revoke sanctions, entering the talks “from a position of force” and with the aim of achieving a fair and respectful agreement. The United States, represented by the special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff (accompanied by Jared Kushner), instead push for a wider agenda. American Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that Washington intends to include not only the Iranian nuclear program, but also the ballistic missiles, support for armed groups in the region and the “treatment of its people” by Tehran.
Discussions, mediated by Oman (which has hosted previous rounds in the past), represent the first direct encounter between the parties after the tensions culminated in US attacks on Iranian nuclear installations in June 2025. Both sides have strengthened military postures in the region, while Arab and Middle Eastern leaders pray to avoid a new conflict. The shift from Istanbul to Muscat, requested by Iran to ensure a bilateral nuclear-focused format, was accepted by Washington after intense regional diplomatic pressure.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
