Hussien Elkabany and Mohammad Sio
12 June 2025•Update: 12 June 2025
MUSCAT, Oman / ISTANBUL
Oman confirmed Thursday that it will host a sixth round of indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran in Muscat on Sunday, amid mounting regional tensions.
“I am pleased to confirm the 6th round of Iran-US talks will be held in Muscat this Sunday the 15th,” Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi posted on X, without providing further details.
The new round of talks comes as reports of stalled progress in the talks have fueled uncertainty in the Middle East, prompting threats from both sides and a partial evacuation of US diplomatic missions in the region.
The main sticking point between Tehran and Washington remains Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
While the US demands a complete halt to enrichment, Iranian negotiators insist the program is non-negotiable and will continue with or without a deal.
US President Donald Trump, who has previously advocated for a military response if diplomacy fails, said on Wednesday he was less confident that Iran would agree to stop uranium enrichment.
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned the same day that Iran would strike US military bases in the region if attacked.
The US, Israel, and several other countries accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and aimed at power generation.
Iran is seeking relief from international sanctions in exchange for limiting some aspects of its nuclear activities, while maintaining its right to peaceful nuclear energy under international law.
Israel remains the only country in the region believed to possess a nuclear arsenal, though it has never officially acknowledged it and is not subject to international inspections.
