Iran’s foreign minister said talks with the United States would resume soon after an initial round in Oman, even as he warned that Tehran would target U.S. bases in the region if Washington strikes Iranian territory. The comments underscore the fragile path back to negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program amid new U.S. sanctions and tariff threats.
Abbas Araghchi, speaking in excerpts carried on his official Telegram channel from an interview with Al Jazeera, called the Muscat exchanges “a good start” and said rebuilding trust “would take time.” He added that, though the talks were indirect, “an opportunity arose to shake hands with the American delegation.”
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Despite the tentative diplomatic opening, Trump signed an executive order effective from today calling for the imposition of tariffs on countries still doing business with Iran. The United States also announced fresh sanctions targeting numerous shipping entities and vessels in a bid to curb Iran’s oil exports.
Iran’s economy remains closely tied to China, which accounts for more than a quarter of the country’s trade, with $18 billion in imports and $14.5 billion in exports in 2024, according to World Trade Organization data.
Araghchi reiterated that nuclear enrichment is Iran’s “inalienable right and must continue,” while signaling flexibility on safeguards. “We are ready to reach a reassuring agreement on enrichment,” he said, adding that “the Iranian nuclear case will only be resolved through negotiations.”
He was explicit that Iran’s ballistic missile program is “never negotiable,” calling it a defense matter. Washington has sought to address Iran’s missiles and its support for militant groups alongside the nuclear file—issues Israel has pressed to include in the talks, according to media reports. Tehran has repeatedly rejected expanding the scope of negotiations beyond the nuclear issue.
The Muscat round marked the first engagement since nuclear talks between Iran and the United States collapsed last year following Israel’s unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, which triggered a 12-day war. During the war, U.S. warplanes bombed Iranian nuclear sites. The latest exchanges came amid a major U.S. military buildup in the region after Iran’s crackdown on protests that began in late December, driven by economic grievances.
Araghchi warned that if Iran is attacked again, “we will attack their bases in the region,” referring to the United States. He framed the message as deterrence while emphasizing that diplomacy remains the preferred path.
At the Oman talks, the U.S. delegation was led by Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Araghchi told Iranian state TV that the discussions took place in a “very positive atmosphere,” with both sides exchanging arguments and agreeing to continue negotiations. Speaking to the official IRNA news agency, he expressed hope that Washington would refrain from “threats and pressure” so the process can proceed.
In a separate appearance at the Al Jazeera Forum conference in Qatar, Araghchi criticized what he called a “doctrine of domination” that enables Israel to expand its military arsenal while pressing other states in the region to disarm. He made no reference there to the Oman exchanges.
Together, the messages outline Tehran’s dual-track approach: maintaining leverage through deterrence and economic resilience, while keeping a diplomatic door open for a limited, nuclear-focused agreement. Whether the talks can advance under the weight of new sanctions and tariff threats remains uncertain, but both sides signaled a willingness to keep the channel alive.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
