The United States and Iran conducted "indirect" talks in Oman this week regarding the escalation in the region and the nuclear program, according to the Israeli website "Walla." The American side was represented by Brett McGurk, President Joe Biden's Senior Advisor for Middle East Affairs, and U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, Abram Paley. This is the first round of indirect talks between the two parties since January when a similar meeting was held in Oman.
The indirect negotiations were facilitated by Oman, following an unprecedented Iranian attack on Israel about a month ago, which threatened to escalate into a regional war. One of the primary goals of the Biden administration since October 7 has been to prevent the crisis in Gaza from turning into a regional conflict. Sources familiar with the discussions reported, "McGurk and Paley arrived in Oman on Tuesday and met with Omani mediators."
The sources indicated that "the United States clarified during the talks the consequences that Iran and its agents in the region may face moving forward, while also expressing concerns regarding the escalation of Iran's nuclear program." Several high-ranking Iranian officials have recently stated publicly that Iran is considering altering its nuclear doctrine, which suggests the possibility of Iran moving towards nuclear weapons manufacturing.
During a press conference, U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel stated, "The United States has ways to communicate with Iran to clarify its concerns." He added, "The Biden administration's assessment is that Iran is not currently taking the necessary actions to produce a nuclear facility."
