Iran Skeptics With US Talks Weekend In Oman

JAKARTA - Iran is approaching weekend negotiations with the United States regarding its nuclear program with caution, with little confidence in progress and deep suspicion of US intentions.

The negotiations were announced Monday by US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatening Washington's old enemy, Iran, with military action if the country does not approve of an agreement since he returned to the White House in January.

Trump said talks on Saturday in Oman would take place in person, but Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi repeated Tehran's position the talks had to be carried out indirectly, citing what he called pressure and threats to the US.

"Indirect negotiations can guarantee sincere and effective dialogue," he told Iran state news agency IRNA.

Araqchi said the talks would be led by Trump and Trump's envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, mediated by Foreign Minister Oman Badr al-Busaidi.

Sources briefed on US planning for the talks confirmed that Witkoff would lead the US delegation and the discussions would be broad in an effort to find a nuclear deal and would not be technical.

"It's still in process," the source told Reuters.

Tehran wants to see concrete signals from the United States before face-to-face negotiations between Iranian and US officials, Iranian and regional sources said.

"Iran told us that direct negotiations may be carried out but there must be a sign of goodwill. Revoke some sanctions or disburse some money," said a regional diplomat.

Russia supports direct or indirect negotiations between Iran and the US as an opportunity to ease tensions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"We know that certain, direct and indirect contacts are planned in Oman," he said.

Russia's lower house of parliament has also ratified a 20-year strategic partnership with Iran, a sign of closer military relations between the two countries.

Efforts to resolve disputes over Iran's nuclear program, which it says are pure for civilian use but is considered by Western countries as the forerunner of an atomic bomb, have been ups and downs for more than 20 years without completion.

Trump scrapped a 2015 deal between Iran and six superpowers - the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - during his first term in 2017 and talks have since stalled.