The negotiations regarding the nuclear program began under the leadership of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Joining his team, which consists of participants from previous rounds, is Deputy Minister for Economic Diplomacy Hamid Ghanbari. The American side, in turn, is led by U.S. President's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who is also joined by Jared Kushner.
Before the discussions began, Araghchi and Witkoff met with Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi.
The head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that Tehran is entering the negotiations with good intentions, fully aware of past experiences and determined to defend its rights. The main priority for Iran remains issues related to the lifting or easing of sanctions. Despite Washington's desire to expand the agenda of discussions, Iran insists on focusing solely on the nuclear program.
Ahead of the negotiations, Axios reported that the initiative for U.S.-Iranian talks became possible due to pressure from Arab allies on the U.S. president. The head of the White House received requests from at least nine countries in the region not to cancel the meeting, highlighting the importance of this dialogue.
In 2025, Witkoff and Araghchi held five rounds of negotiations in Oman, but they did not yield the desired results. Personal contacts between the parties were interrupted after the U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in July. On January 26, U.S. President Donald Trump called on Iran to conclude a "fair and equal" deal, implying a complete abandonment of nuclear weapons.
