Iran has announced that a new round of nuclear negotiations with the US will take place on Sunday in Muscat, following Washington’s submission of a proposed deal. The talks come amid tensions over Iran’s uranium enrichment program and disagreements over sanctions relief.
While former US President Donald Trump initially suggested the meeting would occur on Thursday, Iran clarified that its chief negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, would attend the Oslo Forum first. The upcoming discussions mark the sixth round of indirect talks since April, the highest-level engagement since Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal.
Iran has criticized the US proposal for lacking clarity and omitting key elements from previous negotiations, particularly the lifting of sanctions—a critical demand for Tehran. The country plans to present a “reasonable and balanced” counter-proposal through Omani mediators.
The dispute centers on Iran’s uranium enrichment, currently at 60% purity—far exceeding the 3.67% limit under the original accord but still below weapons-grade levels. The US and Western allies accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists its program is peaceful.
Iranian officials dismissed claims of a deadlock, emphasizing patience in safeguarding national interests. Meanwhile, the IAEA criticized Iran’s cooperation in addressing past nuclear activities, prompting Tehran to accuse the agency of bias and reliance on “forged” Israeli intelligence.
As the UN nuclear watchdog meets in Vienna, Iran warned against any “destructive” resolution targeting its compliance, threatening reduced IAEA cooperation if such measures pass.
