Last-Minute Demands Put US-Iran Nuclear Talks at Risk

U.S. Rejects Iran’s Proposal for Restructured Talks

On Wednesday, the United States turned down Iran’s request to modify the diplomatic talks planned for Friday, according to two U.S. officials speaking with Axios.

The two nations had previously agreed to meet in Istanbul, Turkey, as part of efforts to reduce tensions and prevent military conflict. However, Iran made a demand on Tuesday to shift the negotiations to Oman and focus exclusively on nuclear issues, sidelining its missile program and other security concerns that are significant for the U.S.

A senior U.S. official mentioned, “We told them this or nothing, and they said, ‘Okay, then we’re not going to do anything.'”

Israel’s N12 also reported that the Friday talks were canceled after Iran altered the terms of the agreement.

Another U.S. official shared, “We attempted to reach an agreement, but the Iranians declined. It’s likely there won’t be any negotiations this week. We aren’t naive about the Iranians. If we really need to talk, we will, but we’re not going to waste time.”

The White House has not provided immediate comments regarding the situation.

Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that the U.S. is still open to discussions with Iran, even after an Iranian drone was shot down as it approached the USS Abraham Lincoln on Tuesday. On the same day, an Iranian gunboat also tried to seize a U.S.-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio remarked, “It seems the Iranian side agreed to a certain format, but something changed in the structure.” He added, “We’ll see if we can return to the proper framework, but the United States is prepared to meet with them.”

He also expressed uncertainty, saying, “I don’t know if we can reach an agreement with them, but we will attempt to resolve this.”

The U.S. has been deploying additional aircraft and naval forces to the region since late January, promoting regional security after protests in Iran led to numerous civilian deaths. President Trump stated that a “massive armada” of U.S. warships is prepared to act swiftly if necessary.