MUSCAT: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held consultations with Saudi and Qatari officials ahead of a new round of indirect nuclear talks with the United States set to begin in Oman on Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed.
The Ministry also announced that a technical delegation would accompany Iran’s team during the talks, which marked the fourth round of negotiations aimed at resolving disputes over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Speaking in Doha on Saturday, Araghchi reiterated Iran’s position, stating that Tehran would not surrender any of its nuclear rights.
“If the US goal is to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights, we will not back down,” he said. “But if their goal is to ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon, that is already granted and a deal is within reach.”
Iran maintains that its nuclear activities are purely civilian and denies pursuing nuclear weapons.
However, the US is seeking strict guarantees, including dismantling Iran’s enrichment facilities and converting its programme into a strictly civilian one.
US envoy Steve Witkoff, set to attend the Oman talks, said in an interview that Iran must meet conditions such as halting uranium enrichment and sending fuel abroad for the US to accept its civilian claims.
The Oman round follows a delay of the previously scheduled May 3 session in Rome, postponed for logistical reasons.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi confirmed the new schedule, saying both sides had coordinated with Muscat.
Araghchi described his Gulf tour as part of ongoing consultations to ensure regional support. “We’re regularly in touch with Saudi Arabia.
This visit was specifically to consult with our Saudi colleagues on the upcoming talks,” he told Al Jazeera.
The revival of nuclear diplomacy follows years of heightened tensions after the US withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under then-President Donald Trump, which saw Iran scale back its commitments and accelerate enrichment activities.
Despite this, Iran signals readiness to return to compliance if a new agreement ensures its rights and economic benefits.
