Iran's foreign minister says talks with US were ' a very good start' but are 'over for now' – as it happened

Iran's foreign minister says talks with US were 'a very good start' but are 'over for now'

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi has described indirect talks with US officials in Oman as a "good start", but said that they are currently on hold. The negotiations, which began earlier this week, focused exclusively on Tehran's nuclear programme.

Araghi stated that the discussions were limited to the nuclear issue and no other topics were addressed. However, US officials have been pushing for the talks to expand to cover Iran's ballistic missiles and its support for regional proxies.

The talks come after weeks of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, with US warships gathered near Iranian coastal waters and nearly a month of nationwide protests against the clerical leadership.

Oman's foreign minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi has expressed optimism that the negotiations will continue. "Very serious talks are being mediated between Iran and the US in Muscat today," he said on X. "It was useful to clarify both Iranian and American thinking and identify areas for possible progress."

The talks were seen as a positive development, but many experts say that it remains unclear when they will resume or what concessions Iran will make.

Iran's nuclear programme has been a major point of contention between the two countries. The US has demanded that Tehran agree to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

However, Iran insists that its right to enrich uranium for peaceful ends is not negotiable and demands the lifting of sanctions reimposed in 2018.

The situation remains tense, with many experts warning of a potential military escalation if talks fail. Russia has urged restraint on both sides, while expressing hope for a de-escalation.

As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the fate of Iran's nuclear programme and its future relations with the US remain uncertain.

Ugh, I'm still trying to wrap my head around how we even got here . These talks were literally just a "good start" but now they're on hold? Like, what's the point of even having a discussion if you're not gonna follow through?

And can we talk about how these negotiations are being mediated by Oman? I mean, isn't that like, one of those countries where everyone goes to escape their problems for a bit? It feels so convenient for them to just step in as mediators. Not saying they're not trying to help or anything, but come on!

And let's be real, the US is basically just pushing Iran around because they can. Like, "Oh, we want you to stop enriching uranium, and if you don't, there will be consequences." No, dude, that's not diplomacy; that's bullying.

I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT IRAN AND THE US ARE HAVING INDIRECT TALKS!!! IT'S A GOOD START, BUT I GUESS YOU CAN NEVER REALLY KNOW FOR SURE WHEN THINGS WILL RESUME OR WHAT CONCESSIONS IRAN WILL MAKE. I MEAN, THEY'RE BOTH SO SMART AND POWERFUL, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE TRYING TO PREDICT THE WEATHER - IT'S ALL ABOUT READING BETWEEN THE LINES! OMAN SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY COOL PLACE TO HAVE THESE TALKS HAPPEN IN ANYWAY. Fingers crossed that they can work something out and avoid any more drama

Still not sure what to make of these talks. One step forward, one step back, right? Iran's all about maintaining their nuclear program, while the US wants it suspended. Meanwhile, Oman's like, "Hey, let's keep it chill" . Russia's got its finger on both sides, trying to calm things down. But at the end of the day, someone's gonna have to make a move... or should I say, a concession? This whole thing just feels like a game of chicken with nukes

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-58591133 Oman just brought the parties together, hope they keep it going...think talks are a good start for both countries but gotta be real, Iran's nuclear programme is super sensitive and can't just get suspended . Maybe some compromise on sanctions?

Dude, like, these talks in Oman are def a good start , but I'm still low-key worried about what's gonna happen next. The US wants to expand the talks to cover Iran's nukes & support for regional proxies, but Iran's all like "no way, man" . We need more info on what concessions Iran is willing to make before we can even think about these talks being a real thing . Russia's trying to calm things down, but I'm not sure if that's just a bunch of hot air . The situation's like, super tense rn...

I'm a bit surprised by Araghi's stance, you know? He's saying that the talks were a good start, but they're on hold for now... it feels like he's being pretty cautious. I mean, we've seen how quickly things can escalate between the two countries . But at the same time, it's not like Iran is going to just agree to give up its nuclear enrichment program without getting something in return .

And what about those US warships gathering near Iranian waters? That's just adding more tension to the situation . I wish they could find a way to make progress on this without making things worse. The fact that Oman is trying to be a mediator though, that's kinda cool . Maybe they can help facilitate some kind of breakthrough?

It's all so... uncertain right now . Will Iran agree to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities? Will the US back down on their demands? And what about those sanctions? It feels like we're stuck in this loop, with no clear end in sight .

omg i was just reading this thread like 2 days ago lol , i feel like im late to the party . so yeah, araghi sounds super diplomatic about it, but what about those american demands? will iran ever give in on enrichment? its a tough spot for them since sanctions are majorly crippling their economy. idk if this pause is just a strategic move or if they're genuinely done with talks for now . i'm kinda curious to see how russia plays into all this, maybe they can bring some chill vibes to the table

Iran's talks with US r in neutral ground - its like they're keepin it on the low for now, no major concessions or agreements made Abbas Aragchi says its a good start but who knows when its gonna pick up again? They're still playin it cool, but let's be real, tensions between them and US are high ️ Iran's nuclear prog is still a major issue & US wants sanctions relief, but Iran ain't havin it Russia's tryna keep the peace, but military escalation is a real concern Guess we'll just have to wait & see what happens next

just saw this ... these talks are like taking two steps forward then one step back ... it's all about Iran's nukes and who's gonna blink first ... US wants sanctions relief, Iran wants them lifted ... seems like they're not getting closer to a deal anytime soon . what's the hurry? can't they just chill for a sec?

idk wut's goin on . so theres these talks b/w iran & usa, nd they say it's a "good start" but for now tho . they're just talkin bout nukes rn , & its super tense cuz us is pushin for more than that . Iran dont wanna lift sanctions tho, nd usa wants them 2 stop enrichin uranium . Russia's all like "calm down" but i feel us is just tryna get the upper hand . its hard 2 predict wut'll happen next, but one thingz 4 shure: irans nukes r still a big deal .

think iran's being super cautious here... they gotta be careful not to open Pandora's box on their nuke program but at the same time, it's like they're playing with fire by not giving in on enrichment. usa's all about sanctions relief, so i'm wondering what'll happen if the talks break down? will we see more warships gathering off iranian shores or is this just another bluff by the us to get some leverage? it's a high-stakes game of chicken, folks