Iran could agree to direct talks with U.S. if progress in indirect mediation (Updated)
Indirect talks with the US could get underway likely in Oman in two or three weeks.
Iran has agreed to initially indirect talks with the United States on the nuclear issue, and if there is progress in the initial steps on agreeing to a framework for negotiations, then they will go for direct talks, an Iranian source tells Diplomatic.
If the United States agrees, indirect talks could take place, likely in Oman, within two or three weeks, the Iranian source, speaking not for attribution, said.
The United States would like to get to direct talks with people who have decisionmaking authority in Iran, a U.S. official said.*
“We believe it is essential that talks between our two countries occur with key decision makers who speak on behalf of our respective leaders,” the U.S. official said.
“I think it’s better if we have direct talks,” Trump said Thursday night. “I think it goes faster and you understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediaries.”
“They wanted to use intermediaries,” Trump said. “I don’t think that is necessarily true anymore.”
“I think they’re concerned,” he said. “I think they feel vulnerable. And I don’t want them to feel that way.”**
The Iranian source thought the talks, if they materialize, would likely initially take place without publicity.
He believed that Iran’s negotiators were likely to be Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Ravanchi, a key negotiator of the 2016 Iran nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which then US President Trump quit in 2018; as well as Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi.
President Trump wrote a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that was delivered to Tehran by Emirati diplomat Anwar Gargash on March 12.
Iran sent its official response to the United States via Oman on March 27.
“The future of the talks depends on U.S. behavior,” Iranian President Masoud Pezezshkian was cited on Sunday, according to Iranian journalist Abas Aslani. The United States has “received our response...which rejects direct talks, but deems indirect talks an option. Iran has never avoided negotiations, but US breaches have caused problems. We need to rebuild trust.”
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday appeared to respond to a tweet by Iran’s foreign minister which asserted that Iran would never seek to develop a nuclear weapon.
“Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons,” Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.
“Great,” Witkoff’s personal Twitter account responded to Araghchi’s tweet on Wednesday afternoon, before the post was deleted about an hour later.
A US official said Wednesday that Washington was considering next steps.
“After the exchange of letters, we are now exploring next steps in order to begin conversations and trust-building with the Iranians,” a U.S. official told Axios.
Former Iranian national security advisor Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Khamenei, said the Iranian response to Trump’s letter “signals readiness for indirect talks,” Aslani reported. If Washington took some unspecified steps, then Iran might be willing to engage in direct talks, he said.
“If talks are on an equal footing, Iran will be ready to take the next steps in the talks,” Shamkhani said.
*Updated 4/2/2025 at 4pm with U.S. official comment.
**Updated 4/2 at 11:30pm with Trump comments.
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