Iran says nuclear talks with US to continue in Oman

Donald Trump has reiterated his threat of drastic consequences for Iran over its nuclear program as plans are made to resume negotiations in Oman.

The next round of talks between Washington and Tehran to discuss Iran’s controversial nuclear program will again take place in the Gulf state of Oman.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, reported on Tuesday that the second round of negotiations would be held in the capital of Oman, Muscat, on Saturday.

US media had earlier reported the talks were expected to take place in Rome.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff held a first round talks in Muscat in Oman last Saturday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with Oman acting as a mediator.

US President Donald Trump reiterated on Monday his threat of drastic consequences for Iran over its nuclear program.

“I think they’re tapping us along,” Trump told reporters on Monday after US special envoy Steve Witkoff met in Oman on Saturday with a senior Iranian official.

During a meeting at the White House with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, Trump said: “They can’t have a nuclear weapon, and they got to go fast, because they’re fairly close to having one, and they’re not going to have one”.

“And if we have to do something very harsh, we’ll do it. And I’m not doing it for us. I’m doing it for the world, and these are radicalised people, and they cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he added.

When questioned by a reporter if this included an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Trump affirmed.

“Of course it does.”

The US government and other Western states as well as Israel aim to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

During his first term in office in 2018, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Vienna nuclear deal, which was designed to limit Iran’s nuclear programme and lift sanctions in return. Following this, Tehran also ceased adhering to the agreement’s stipulations.

DPA