Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirmed on Tuesday that Tehran and Washington will engage in talks in Oman, hours after President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement on Monday that the United States and Iran were poised to begin direct talks on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
“Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks,” Araqchi said in a post on his X account on Tuesday.
“It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court,” the Iranian foreign minister added.
Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks.
It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 7, 2025
In an interview with Tasnim, Araqchi confirmed media reports that the upcoming talks in Oman will be led by him and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Earlier on Monday, Trump announced the talks, but said the discussions in Oman would be direct.
“We’re having direct talks with Iran, and they’ve started. It’ll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we’ll see what can happen,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
President Trump says the US is holding direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program. He says they will have “a very big meeting” on Saturday but declined to say where or who would attend. pic.twitter.com/egRk5TgeAj
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 8, 2025
“And I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable,” Trump said, as he warned that if the talks were unsuccessful, “Iran is going to be in great danger.”
On Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on the US administration to show its genuine interest in holding negotiations, stressing that Tehran will not approve of talks at any price or under humiliating circumstances.
Source: Agencies
