Iran and the United States held indirect nuclear talks in Muscat on February 6, ending the day's sessions as "temporarily" concluded after what Tehran described as a constructive start. Iran's foreign minister, Araghchi, told state media the tone was positive and that the two sides had agreed to continue talks, but he insisted that avoiding threats and pressure was a prerequisite for any meaningful dialogue.
The negotiations followed a shuttle format mediated by Oman, whose foreign minister, Badr, ferried positions between delegations and said parties would reconvene "at an appropriate time." Iran's delegation was led by Araghchi while the U.S. team included the presidential special envoy Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and—reportedly—CENTCOM commander Cooper, signaling Washington's intertwining of diplomatic and military channels.
Tehran made clear the talks were limited to nuclear issues and rejected any precondition that would outlaw uranium enrichment outright. Iranian state outlets quoted Araghchi as saying that if the talks continued in the same constructive spirit, a mutually acceptable framework might be reachable, but he made clear that continuation depended on decisions by leaders in both capitals.
The U.S. White House reiterated that diplomacy was the immediate focus while stressing that Washington retained other options. White House remarks also reiterated President Trump's public insistence on preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability, underscoring the high political stakes for the U.S. administration.
Muscat's role as intermediary is consistent with Oman's long-standing practice of hosting quiet diplomacy between Tehran and Washington. The presence of senior military figures alongside presidential envoys, however, suggests Washington is hedging: pairing negotiation with a visible readiness to use force or other coercive measures if talks fail.
The talks are the first visible step toward reining in a decade of escalating mistrust since the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal and the United States' withdrawal in 2018. Iran has expanded enrichment capacity since then, and Washington's demand to ensure "zero nuclear capability," as voiced by President Trump, remains a nonstarter publicly for Tehran unless wrapped into a broader, reciprocal package that respects Iran's insistence on its right to peaceful nuclear activity.
For now the process is deliberately incremental. Delegations will likely return to capitals to consult, and any follow-up will depend on political calculations at home. That gives both sides room to maneuver but also creates a risk that differing expectations, military postures in the region, or domestic political pressures could derail talks before a durable framework is agreed.
The immediate diplomatic significance is modest but real: for the first time in months Washington and Tehran engaged indirectly at a senior level and agreed to keep channels open. The deeper test will be whether that channel can convert a positive opening into verifiable constraints and reciprocal relief without collapsing under political or military pressure.