by Jacob Magid at The Times of Israel
White House calls meeting ‘a step forward in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome’; Iran FM says US wants to reach a new agreement ASAP but ‘that will not be easy’; more talks in a week
US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff met briefly with Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shortly after their two countries held their first round of talks on Tehran’s nuclear program in Oman and agreed to hold a second round next week.
The first known meeting between US and Iranian officials in years appeared to be a way for both sides to save face after US President Donald Trump announced at the beginning of the week that the talks would be direct, while Araghchi insisted that they would be indirect.
Regardless, both the over two-hour-long session mediated by Oman — with the US and Iran delegations in separate rooms — and the subsequent minutes-long conversation between Witkoff and Araghchi represented a potentially major tipping point in ties between the US and Iran.
Trump has warned that the failure of these talks could lead the US to strike Iran’s nuclear program. The US president said earlier this week that Israel would participate in such a strike, if not lead it.
Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue…
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