Iran Contradicts Donald Trump on Nuclear Talks

By Amira El-Fekki‎

Iran's foreign minister confirmed Iran and the United States would meet in Oman on Saturday, but contradicted President Donald Trump by describing them as "indirect high-level talks" rather than the direct talks that he announced.

Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.

Why It Matters

The upcoming talks come amid a standoff on nuclear negotiations which has heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, increasing the risk of a military confrontation.

Iran has ramped up its nuclear program, raising concerns for the United States and its ally Israel that it could acquire nuclear weapons. Trump has reinstated a policy of "maximum pressure" and threatened military action if the Islamic Republic does not reach a deal.

What To Know

"Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. "It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America's court," he posted on his X account.

This comes after Trump announced direct talks between the U.S. and Iran would take place on Saturday in a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, D.C. Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, is expected to lead the talks for the United States, according to media reports.

On Monday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei had stated that Iran stands by its proposal for indirect talks as expressed in Iran's reply to a letter sent by Trump the Tasneem News Agency reported.

While Trump made a diplomatic overture for direct talks with Iran over its nuclear program, Iran has said it refuses to do so under the pressure of economic sanctions imposed by the U.S.

Trump warned Tehran they will be in "great danger" if the talks fail while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces on high alert following recent threats from Trump.

What People Are Saying

Iran's President Massoud Pezeshkian, as quoted by MEHR News Agency Monday: "We believe in negotiation, but we will not negotiate at any cost. We are not looking for war, tension, or nuclear bombs, we are looking for negotiations. The Americans must also prove that they are looking for negotiations. We believe in negotiation, but not in humiliation."

U.S. President Donald Trump from Oval Office Monday: "We're dealing with the Iranians, we have a very big meeting on Saturday and we're dealing with them directly and maybe a deal is gonna be made, that'll be great. It'll be really great for Iran I can tell you that."

Trita Parsi, Executive Vice-President at Quincy Institute on X: "There is little reason to believe that Tehran would send its foreign minister to Oman to speak indirectly with Trump's envoy Witkoff. For that, they would not have sent their top diplomat. So it is reasonable to expect that the Saturday meeting will end up with direct talks. That is quite remarkable, given the fact that the Biden administration never managed to get this far in 4 years, despite their preference for direct talks. Many in Washington will conclude that this is because Trump orchestrated a credible military threat against Iran. I agree that that is a factor. But a far more important factor is the other side of the equation: Tehran believes that Trump really wants a deal and that he's willing and capable to offer serious sanctions relief to get it."

What Happens Next

Saturday's U.S.-Iran talks will be closely watched, as any progress on Iran's nuclear program could help ease regional tensions. A failure, however, would likely escalate the situation further.