‘Very positive, constructive’: White House on US-Iran nuclear talks in Oman

High-level talks between the United States and Iran held on Saturday in Oman were described by the White House as a “step forward” in addressing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The discussions, which involved President Donald Trump’s regional envoy, were labelled as “positive and constructive.”

In a statement, the White House expressed gratitude to Oman for facilitating the dialogue. “The discussions were very positive and constructive, and the United States deeply thanks the Sultanate of Oman for its support of this initiative. Special Envoy Witkoff underscored to Dr. Araghchi that he had instructions from President Trump to resolve our two nations’ differences through dialogue and diplomacy if that is possible,” the statement read.

“These issues are very complicated, and Special Envoy Witkoff’s direct communication today was a step forward in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. The sides agreed to meet again next Saturday,” it added.

The talks were held amid heightened tensions, as President Trump warned that the failure of diplomatic efforts could lead to military action. Trump declared that there would be “all hell to pay” if Iran did not halt its nuclear activities.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who had a brief in-person encounter with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff during the indirect talks, told Iranian state TV, “I think we are very close to a basis for negotiations, and if we can conclude this basis next week, we’ll have gone a long way.”

He added that the US also showed interest in reaching an agreement quickly while acknowledging the road ahead would be challenging.

Araghchi emphasized that neither party is interested in prolonged or superficial dialogue. “Neither we nor the other party want fruitless negotiations, discussions for discussions’ sake, time-wasting or talks that drag on forever,” he said.

Washington and Tehran have had no formal diplomatic ties for over four decades. The two countries are now exploring the possibility of a fresh nuclear agreement after President Trump withdrew from the 2015 deal in 2018 and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran.

Since the US exit, Iran has significantly advanced its nuclear program, including enriching uranium up to 60 per cent purity — just short of the level needed for nuclear weapons.