The United States and Iran are set to engage in a new round of nuclear talks on Saturday, marking a pivotal moment in their fraught diplomatic relationship.
While U.S. President Donald Trump declared the discussions would be direct, Iranian officials insist that the talks will be conducted indirectly, with Oman serving as a mediator.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the meeting late Monday in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Representing the U.S. will be Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy to the Middle East.
“It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court,” Araghchi said, signaling cautious optimism tempered with skepticism.
The renewed dialogue comes after years of strained relations following Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the landmark 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) during his first term. The deal, signed in Vienna between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — the U.S., U.K., France, China, and Russia — saw Iran agree to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Trump scrapped the agreement in 2018, citing Iran’s ballistic missile development and growing influence in the region as unacceptable threats.
Subsequent efforts under former President Joe Biden to salvage the deal floundered amid disagreements over sequencing and mutual compliance.
Now, with Trump back in office, the administration is pursuing a broader, more stringent version of the original deal. According to White House insiders, the new terms would require deeper cuts to Iran’s uranium enrichment and stricter monitoring by international inspectors.
Tensions have intensified in recent weeks, with Trump warning Tehran of severe consequences if it refuses U.S. demands. “There would be bombing,” he declared last month, sparking global concern about a potential military escalation.
