Senior negotiators from the United States and Iran are set to meet on Sunday in Muscat for a fresh round of indirect talks aimed at resolving deep-rooted tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program. The talks come at a pivotal moment, just days before President Donald Trump embarks on a high-stakes visit to the Middle East.
This marks the fourth round of negotiations, which are being facilitated by Omani mediators. Despite both sides expressing a preference for diplomacy, sharp divisions remain over the future of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
US envoy Steve Witkoff, speaking to Breitbart News on Thursday, outlined a hardline stance ahead of the meeting. “No enrichment. That means dismantlement, no weaponisation,” Witkoff said, naming Iran’s nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan as non-negotiable points of concern. He warned that if Sunday’s session proves unproductive, “then they won’t continue and we’ll have to take a different route.”
In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi emphasized that Iran would not relinquish what it considers its sovereign nuclear rights. “Iran continues negotiations in good faith, but if the aim of these talks is to limit Iran’s nuclear rights, I state clearly that Iran will not back down from any of its rights,” Araqchi said on Saturday.
Tehran has signaled a willingness to place some limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, but insists that enrichment and its existing stockpile of enriched uranium are non-negotiable. A senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, added, “What the US says publicly differs from what is said in negotiations,” and noted that the outcome of Sunday’s meeting—originally scheduled for May 3 in Rome but moved due to logistical issues—could bring greater clarity.
Iran has also ruled out discussing its ballistic missile program and is demanding assurances that the US will not again abandon a potential agreement. Trump previously withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, reimposing sweeping sanctions and reviving Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign.
Since 2019, Iran has steadily escalated its nuclear activity, enriching uranium up to 60% purity—just below weapons-grade levels—according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Trump is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE between May 13 and 16. Analysts suggest that the outcome of the Muscat talks could shape the tone and substance of those regional meetings.
With tensions running high, both sides face increasing pressure to either find common ground or brace for renewed confrontation.
