Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that indirect nuclear talks with the U.S. in Oman were “a good start” and that there was a “consensus” that the negotiations would continue.

“After a long period without dialogue, our viewpoints were conveyed, and our concerns were expressed. Our interests, the rights of the Iranian people, and all matters that needed to be stated were presented in a very positive atmosphere, and the other side’s views were also heard,” Araghchi said.

“It was a good start, but its continuation depends on consultations in our respective capitals and deciding on how to proceed,” he added.

IRAN’S KHAMENEI STAYS AWAY FROM TALKS AS JD VANCE SAYS DYNAMIC MAKES DIPLOMACY ‘MUCH MORE COMPLICATED’

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi met with both Iranian and American officials on Friday, the Foreign Ministry of Oman said on X. The ministry said that al-Busaidi held separate meetings with Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

“The consultations focused on preparing the appropriate conditions for resuming diplomatic and technical negotiations, while emphasizing their importance, in light of the parties’ determination to ensure their success in achieving sustainable security and stability,” the Foreign Ministry of Oman said.

Oman reportedly put out a public statement acknowledging the talks after journalists with The Associated Press saw Iranian and American officials separately visit the palace, the outlet reported. The AP said it was not immediately clear if talks were done for the day, but noted that the palace was empty after the convoys left.

The Iranian representatives reportedly met with al-Busaidi first, and only after their convoy left the palace did another set of vehicles arrive, one of which had an American flag, according to the AP. The outlet said the SUV flying the American flag stayed at the palace for an hour and a half.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN ALREADY HAS US TERMS AS MILITARY STRIKE CLOCK TICKS

The talks were initially set to take place in Turkey, but were later moved, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who confirmed the change in venue on Wednesday.

“We thought we had an established forum that had been agreed to in Turkey. It was put together by a number of partners who wanted to attend and be a part of it,” Rubio said when taking questions from reporters on Wednesday.

“I saw conflicting reports yesterday from the Iranian side saying that they had not agreed to that. So, that’s still being worked through. At the end of the day, the United States is prepared to engage in, has always been prepared to engage with Iran.”

Iranian officials also reportedly tried to limit the talks to a bilateral U.S.-Iran format, excluding other Arab and regional countries, according to Axios.

RUBIO CONFIRMS IRAN DEMANDED VENUE CHANGE FOR NUCLEAR TALKS

Tensions between Iran and the U.S. have been high since Washington bombed Tehran’s nuclear facilities in the summer of 2025. Things escalated further as the U.S. condemned Iran’s treatment of anti-regime protesters, with President Donald Trump threatening to act if government actors used violence against demonstrators.

Trump recently said in an interview with NBC News that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “should be very worried,” though the president acknowledged that the two countries were “negotiating.”

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When pressed about why he has not followed through on threats to take action if the regime used violence against protesters, Trump said that the U.S. “had their back” and that the “country’s a mess right now because of us,” referring to the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Trump also told NBC News that the U.S. had learned that Iran was attempting to build a new nuclear site in a different part of the country.

The president said that he issued a threat that if Iran were to build a new nuclear facility, the U.S. would “do very bad things.”

It is not immediately clear whether there will be more discussions over the course of the weekend or if there are any plans for direct discussions between Iranian and American officials.

The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Any regime change in Iran should come “from within” and be led by “more moderate forces” than hardline Islamic fundamentalists, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Euronews.

Olmert, who served as Israel’s premier between 2006 and 2009, spoke to Euronews just weeks after protests swept across Iran in early January.

According to the UN’s special rapporteur on Iran, Mai Soto, the unrest has resulted in at least 5,000 deaths, while insiders in Iran Euronews spoke to and human rights activists fear that the number might surpass 30,000.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have also been rising since President Donald Trump renewed pressure on Tehran, even threatening a “massive armada” if Iran refused to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme.

“In the end, the regime will be changed from within by the people of Iran — and I certainly hope so,” Olmert said. “But I hope it can happen without a massive number of Iranian citizens being killed by the country’s leadership.”

Olmert added that despite Trump’s warnings, he does not believe that even a major American military strike would bring about regime change. “With all due respect to President Trump and his threats, I don’t think that even a massive American attack will change the regime,” Olmert said.

‘Same interests’ in high-stakes negotiations

High-stakes talks between Iran and the US began on Friday morning in Oman, with Iran’s nuclear programme and the regime’s brutal repression of protesters high on the agenda.

Ahead of the discussions, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had been “quite clear” in his demands, including insisting on “zero nuclear capability.” Trump also warned that Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “should be very worried.”

Regional powers are hoping the talks could lead to a broader easing of tensions, fearing any escalation would further destabilise the Middle East.

Olmert said he hoped for an agreement that would end Iran’s nuclear ambitions and also halt its ballistic missile programme, though he admitted he was not optimistic.

He argued that both Washington and Tehran have a shared interest in presenting Iran’s nuclear threat — long described by Israel as an attempt to develop nuclear weapons — as no longer urgent.

“I think both sides have the same interests, strangely enough,” Olmert said. “The Americans want to claim they have completely destroyed the nuclear programme because the president needs to show he is a great winner. The Iranians, meanwhile, want to convince the Americans they have already done enough.”

Others, including Anour Gargash, adviser to the UAE president, have urged Tehran to seize the opportunity for diplomacy, rebuild its economy, and avoid another regional confrontation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted that meaningful progress would require broader discussions beyond nuclear issues, including Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, its support for armed groups across the region, and its treatment of its own citizens.

While there are no clear signs the Iranian regime is on the verge of collapse, mounting pressures — including economic mismanagement, corruption, heavy sanctions, currency instability, and soaring inflation — have placed the leadership under unprecedented strain.

Trump has not clarified whether regime change is an objective of any potential strikes, and Olmert warned that further US interference could backfire by strengthening the regime while it remains vulnerable.

He also noted that Iran is still recovering from last summer’s Operation Midnight Hammer, which severely damaged nuclear facilities and exposed weaknesses in air defences and intelligence.

“I don’t think negotiations will change it,” Olmert concluded. “In fact, perhaps the opposite — negotiations may strengthen the Revolutionary Guards and the ayatollahs, allowing them to carry on.”