The message states that this decision was made after Iran proposed to move the meeting from Istanbul to Oman, focusing exclusively on the Iranian nuclear program, leaving aside other topics, including ballistic missiles. American representatives rejected this proposal on February 4.
“We warned them that either they accept our condition, or there will be no negotiations. In response, they said, ‘Fine, then there will be nothing,’” said one senior US official. He also noted that if Iran is willing to return to the previous format, the American side is open to a meeting this week or next.
“We are striving for a quick and meaningful agreement; otherwise, the possibility of other options will start to be seriously discussed,” the official added, referring to Trump’s warnings about the possible use of military force, as reported by Axios.
On the evening of February 4, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that “negotiations on the nuclear program with the US” are scheduled for the morning of February 6 in Muscat, Oman. He expressed gratitude to Oman for organizing the necessary arrangements.
US President Donald Trump had previously considered the possibility of a military operation against Iran but reported at the end of January that negotiations between Tehran and Washington had begun. According to him, the decision on further actions will be made based on the results of these negotiations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted on February 4 that they intend to discuss both Iran's nuclear and missile programs, support for terrorist groups in the region, as well as internal issues in Iran during the negotiations. In response, Tehran stated its readiness to talk only about the nuclear program.
Trump, in an interview with NBC News, the full version of which will air on February 5, mentioned that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “must be experiencing serious concerns.”
