Iran has issued a strong rebuke to the United States over demands for direct negotiations concerning its nuclear ambitions, warning that any countries in the region hosting American military assets could find themselves caught in the crossfire, according to a high-ranking Iranian source.
While Tehran has made clear it has no interest in entering direct talks with President Donald Trump’s administration, it remains open to indirect discussions facilitated by Oman, a country historically used to pass messages between the two adversaries, the source told Reuters under condition of anonymity.
“Indirect talks offer a chance to evaluate Washington’s seriousness about a political solution with Iran,” said the official.
Though this method is expected to come with its own complications, the source noted that talks could potentially begin soon, provided Washington signals willingness to pursue this route.
Iran has delivered stern warnings to Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, and Bahrain, cautioning that any cooperation with a potential U.S. military assault—including allowing American forces to utilize their territory or airspace—would be interpreted as direct aggression.
Such cooperation, the official emphasized, “will have severe consequences for them,” and noted that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has already placed the Iranian military on high alert in preparation.
The rhetoric from Washington hinting at possible military strikes has only added to the volatility in the region, already strained by conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, ongoing operations in Yemen, upheaval in Syria, and repeated clashes between Israeli and Iranian forces.
The specter of a wider regional conflict looms large, particularly for the Gulf states that share the waters with Iran and serve as key nodes for global oil transportation, many of which are aligned with the United States.
Officials from Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain did not immediately issue any statements when asked for comment. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry reported it hadn’t received such a warning but suggested these types of messages might be conveyed via alternative diplomatic channels.
Iranian state media reported Wednesday that Kuwait had provided assurances to Tehran, stating it would not permit any attacks to be launched from its territory against other nations.
Meanwhile, Russia, an ally of Iran, voiced its disapproval on Thursday of Washington’s threats and called for a de-escalation of tensions on Friday.
Despite their alliance, Iran is uncertain about Russia’s true level of support, according to a second Iranian official. “This depends on the dynamics” between President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the official said.
Trump has maintained that his preference is a diplomatic resolution rather than military conflict and revealed on March 7 that he had sent a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei proposing talks.
According to the senior Iranian official, an initial phase of indirect negotiations could take place with Omani intermediaries acting as go-betweens for Iranian and American representatives. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi or his deputy Majid Takht-e Ravanchi would be authorized by Khamenei to participate in such discussions in Muscat.
The Omani government did not respond to a request for comment on the matter.
The official warned, however, that there may only be a limited opportunity—around two months—to reach an agreement. Any longer, they cautioned, and Israel could intervene with its own military action, or international sanctions could rapidly be reinstated to prevent Iran from moving closer to developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran insists that it does not seek to build a nuclear arsenal, but the U.N. nuclear agency has expressed concern over Tehran’s significant acceleration of uranium enrichment, with levels approaching 60% purity—just shy of weapons-grade status.
Western powers argue that such high levels of enrichment have no place in civilian energy programs and that historically, no country has reached such levels without ultimately pursuing nuclear weapons.
Tehran has stated that it is open to negotiations with the U.S. as long as they focus on nuclear issues alone. However, it has rejected direct engagement as long as threats persist and has firmly excluded its missile program from any discussion.
Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps signaled on Monday that U.S. bases in the region could be targets in any future conflict.
That warning echoed Iran’s actions in 2020, when it struck American military installations in Iraq in retaliation for the U.S. drone killing of General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, in Baghdad.
{Matzav.com}