Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Senior officials from Iran and Oman have expressed guarded optimism about the prospects for progress in indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, suggesting that a limited agreement may be within reach if key differences can be narrowed.
Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said Thursday that an “immediate agreement” with the United States could be possible if talks focus strictly on preventing Iran from producing nuclear weapons.
Writing on the social platform X, Shamkhani said that such a framework would align with the Supreme Leader’s religious ruling against nuclear weapons and with Iran’s stated defense doctrine. He added that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, currently in Geneva, has sufficient authority and backing to conclude such a deal.
The comments come as the United States maintains a tougher public position. U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated that Iran should not be allowed to enrich uranium at any level, while Tehran insists enrichment is its sovereign right and maintains its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes.
Oman reports constructive atmosphere
Oman, which has long played a mediating role between Tehran and Washington, struck a cautiously positive tone. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the indirect talks are proceeding in a constructive spirit, with negotiators showing what he described as unprecedented openness to new and innovative ideas.
In a post on X, Albusaidi said intensive efforts are continuing to create conditions conducive to progress and to reaching what he called a fair agreement backed by sustainable guarantees.
Ahead of Thursday’s negotiations, the Omani minister met in Geneva with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Trump. Albusaidi said the meeting reviewed Iranian proposals as well as questions and responses from the American negotiating team.
Iran stresses seriousness of its delegation
For its part, Tehran emphasized the readiness of its negotiating team. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Thursday that Iran’s nuclear negotiating team is “complete and serious,” according to the state news agency IRNA.
Baghaei noted that what he described as the third round of talks had effectively begun Wednesday evening through meetings between Foreign Minister Araghchi and Albusaidi, during which Iran’s views and the latest developments were presented to the Omani side.
He also confirmed that Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, had arrived in Geneva and is expected to contribute to technical nuclear discussions aimed at advancing the negotiations.
Temporary pause in discussions
Iranian media reported that the indirect talks between the United States and Iran were temporarily paused to allow for consultations among delegations and are expected to resume later in the day.
Meanwhile, a CNN team on the ground observed the U.S. delegation leaving the residence of the Omani ambassador in Geneva shortly before the pause, underscoring the fluid and ongoing nature of the diplomatic contacts.
Despite the cautious positive signals from Tehran and Muscat, significant gaps remain between the two sides, particularly over uranium enrichment. Whether the current diplomatic momentum can translate into a concrete agreement will likely depend on the ability of mediators to bridge those core differences in the coming rounds.
