On Monday night, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that Iran and the United States would engage in indirect negotiations regarding Tehran’s nuclear activities, contradicting President Donald Trump’s assertion that the talks would be face-to-face.
Posting on the social platform X, Araqchi announced, “Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks.”
He also commented, “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test” and emphasized, “The ball is in America’s court.”
Earlier that same day, while standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the White House, President Trump had given a different account: “We are having direct talks with Iran. On Saturday we will have a very big meeting and we will see what can happen. I think everybody agrees that a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious, and the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with, or frankly that anyone here wants to be involved with.”
Trump warned that the matter was entering a volatile phase, saying it’s “getting to be very dangerous territory. Hopefully, those talks will be successful, and I think it would be in Iran’s best interests if they are.”
When questioned by a journalist about the possibility of military action against Iran, Trump replied, “I think if the talks are not successful with Iran, Iran is going to be in great danger. If the talks are not successful, I actually think that will be a very bad day for Iran,” Trump said.
Later that day, three Iranian officials familiar with preparations for the discussions told The New York Times that their understanding differed from what President Trump had described during his White House remarks.
According to these Iranian sources, the meetings set for Saturday in Oman would be indirect, with Iranian and American envoys stationed in separate rooms while Omani intermediaries relayed messages between them.
The officials also told The New York Times that Tehran might be willing to consider face-to-face discussions with Washington if the initial indirect engagement proved fruitful.
Not long ago, Iran had declined a proposal for direct negotiations from Trump. That proposal had been conveyed in a letter sent to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
After the rejection, Trump issued a stern warning, saying that “bad things” would befall Iran if it refused to reach a nuclear agreement.
He later escalated his rhetoric, cautioning that “if they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
In response, Ayatollah Khamenei declared that any aggression from the U.S. would be met with a “strong blow.”
Just three days afterward, Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, said he was confident that Iran wanted direct talks with the United States about its nuclear program.
{Matzav.com}