On Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied claims that it had proposed “direct” nuclear discussions with the United States, including a potential meeting involving President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masuud Pezeschkian. Reports from YNET in Israel indicated that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi had approached Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkov, expressing frustration over the current mediation efforts by Oman and pushing for direct talks.
The report suggested that if direct negotiations aren’t forthcoming, Norwegian mediation might be considered. This follows previous discussions perceived as “positive” and “constructive” last month, which ultimately faced a delay for logistical reasons.
The fourth round of talks is now scheduled for this Sunday in Muscat, Oman. So far, these discussions have been “indirect,” meaning while U.S. and Iranian negotiators are in proximity, they communicate through Omani intermediaries—raising questions about what constitutes “direct” communication.
Oman has also recently facilitated a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. In response to the YNET report, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Bakaei, labeled the claims as unfounded.
There were also speculations about a potential meeting between Trump and Pezeschkian during Trump’s forthcoming trip to Saudi Arabia, although Bakaei seemed skeptical of this idea. Another Iranian analyst suggested that Trump might be inclined towards dialogue with Iranian officials, particularly President Pezeschkian, given recent statements made by Trump.
However, the proposal for direct negotiations was dismissed, with Pezeschkian indicating that while direct talks aren’t on the table, the possibility for indirect discussions remains open. Trump, in a recent interview, expressed little interest in meeting Pezeschkian and reiterated that any discussions would require significant concessions from Iran regarding its nuclear program.
Furthermore, Trump emphasized his unease over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, stating that civilian energy initiatives could easily lead to military conflicts, and reiterated the U.S. stance against allowing them nuclear weapons. In a separate interview, he mentioned the need for strong, verifiable agreements to address Iran’s nuclear activities effectively.
