The White House offered an optimistic update on Saturday’s talks between President Donald Trump‘s special envoy to the Middle East and Iranian officials in Oman.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, U.S Ambassador to Oman Ana Escrogima, and Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Abbas Araghchi conducted talks hosted by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on Saturday, according to a White House statement. The two sides agreed to meet next Saturday.
“U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Steven Witkoff, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Oman Ana Escrogima, conducted talks today in Muscat with Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Abbas Araghchi, which were hosted by Omani Foreign Minister Said Badr. The discussions were very positive and constructive, and the United States deeply thanks the Sultanate of Oman for its support of this initiative,” the White House statement said.
“Special Envoy Witkoff underscored to Dr. Araghchi that he had instructions from President Trump to resolve our two nations’ differences through dialogue and diplomacy, if that is possible. These issues are very complicated, and Special Envoy Witkoff’s direct communication today was a step forward in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. The sides agreed to meet again next Saturday,” the statement continued.
Officials from the Trump administration engaged in talks with Iranian officials in Muscat, Oman, despite a dispute over whether the talks would be considered direct or indirect ahead of the meeting.
Iranian government spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the talks were held with U.S. and Iranian officials in separate rooms, with the Omani foreign minister offering the different positions to each side. He also said the “indirect talks” would continue next week.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the talks took place in a “friendly atmosphere conducive to bridging viewpoints and ultimately achieving regional and global peace, security and stability.”
“I am proud to announce that today in Muscat we hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Seyed Abbas Araghchi and US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and mediated to begin a process of dialogue and negotiations with the shared aim of concluding a fair and binding agreement,” he said in a post on X.
US AND IRAN ALREADY DISAGREE ON NATURE OF TALKS IN OMAN
“I would like to thank my two colleagues for this engagement which took place in a friendly atmosphere conducive to bridging viewpoints and ultimately achieving regional and global peace, security and stability. We will continue to work together and put further efforts to assist in arriving at this goal,” he added.
The U.S. hopes talks with Iran will help address issues surrounding the Middle Eastern country’s nuclear program, a source of tension for more than a decade.