In a information convention on April 7, United States President Donald Trump stated there have been direct talks between Iran and his administration on the way forward for Tehran’s nuclear programme.
“We’re having direct talks with Iran,” Trump stated. “On Saturday, now we have a really large assembly.”
Iran denied the direct talks however admitted talks have been set to happen by way of Omani mediation.
Trump’s announcement got here as a shock to many, as Iran has lengthy refused to carry direct talks. So, has one thing modified?
Right here’s all the pieces we all know to date.
What did Trump say?
Curiously, he has doubled down on the talks being “direct”, saying they’ve begun and the following assembly can be on Saturday.
“Lots of people say, oh, perhaps you’re going by way of surrogates otherwise you’re not dealing straight, you’re dealing by way of different international locations,” he stated.
“No, we’re coping with them straight. And perhaps a deal’s going to be made.
“Doing a deal can be preferable to doing the plain,” he stated, presumably in reference to attacking the regional large, one thing that US ally Israel has finished twice within the final 12 months.
In early March, Trump told reporters that he had written to Iranian authorities demanding talks on the nation’s nuclear programme and threatening navy motion if there was no reply.
Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated on the time that Iran wouldn’t negotiate with “bullying governments”.
Trump has till now utilized what he calls a coverage of “most stress” on Iran, consisting of intensified sanctions.
What did Iran say?
Iran’s Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi stated oblique talks between himself and US Particular Envoy for the Center East Steve Witkoff would happen in Oman.
“It’s as a lot a possibility as it’s a take a look at,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Iran has lengthy stated it is not going to maintain direct talks with the US, however agreed to work by way of an Omani middleman, who was introduced by Iranian state media to be Omani Overseas Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi.
Iran and the USA will meet in Oman on Saturday for oblique high-level talks.
It’s as a lot a possibility as it’s a take a look at. The ball is in America’s court docket.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 7, 2025
Iran’s messaging has oscillated between an openness to barter and rejection of the US’s threatening ways.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian stated in September that direct talks have been attainable if the US confirmed it was amenable to good-faith talks.
“We aren’t hostile in the direction of the US. They need to finish their hostility in the direction of us by exhibiting their goodwill in observe,” Pezeshkian stated on the time. “We’re brothers with the Individuals as properly.”
Nevertheless, earlier this week, Araghchi questioned Washington’s sincerity in calling for negotiations, saying on Sunday, “If you would like negotiations, then what’s the level of threatening?”
What would Trump wish to negotiate?
Regardless of bombing Yemen and permitting Israel to have a free hand in Lebanon and Syria in addition to to restart the struggle on Gaza, Trump says he desires to be seen as a “peacemaker”.
He says he desires to barter Iran’s nuclear programme, to be sure that Iran by no means builds a nuclear weapon.
Throughout his first time period in workplace, Trump truly withdrew the US from a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers that curbed Iran’s nuclear programme in return for some sanctions aid.
After withdrawing, Trump reapplied sanctions. He stated any settlement with Iran must restrict its standard weapons arsenal as properly, not simply the nuclear programme.
In latest weeks, he has stated Iran is materially aiding Yemen’s Houthis, blaming Iran whenever the Houthis launch an assault on Israel or what they are saying is Israel-linked delivery within the Arabian or Pink seas.
It isn’t clear if that may come up in negotiations.
Trump may wish to focus on Iran’s elevated oil gross sales to China.
What would Iran wish to negotiate?
Iran is all for sanctions aid to ease financial stress on Tehran because the nation suffers an financial disaster that has hit all sectors of society.
This would come with assurances that Iran would be capable to entry the SWIFT cash switch system in addition to worldwide funding.
Nevertheless, Iran additionally desires recognition of its nuclear programme, together with the fitting to some stage of enrichment and to make use of its centrifuges, constructed since 2018.
That stated, the 2 sides’ beginning positions are additional aside than when negotiations first began on the Joint Complete Plan of Motion (JCPOA), extensively often called the “Iran nuclear deal”.
Iran is asking for extra intensive sanctions aid than supplied below Obama, whereas Trump has threatened to bomb Iran in the event that they don’t lower a deal.
Isn’t there already a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme?
Sure, the JCPOA.
As we talked about above, it exchanged assurances from Iran on limiting its nuclear programme for sanctions aid.
Trump withdrew the US from the settlement in 2018, and his shut ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been one of many loudest voices opposing the JCPOA.
Trump and Netanyahu are in settlement, saying the JCPOA didn’t go far sufficient for lengthy sufficient, in reference to the JCPOA solely prohibiting sure nuclear actions for 10 to fifteen years.
They stated Iran’s standard weapons programme must be included in any take care of Iran, and that any aid the Iranian economic system receives would solely allow Tehran to fund its regional allies to hold out actions assumed to “threaten Israel’s safety”.
How shut is Iran to a nuclear weapon?
Nobody actually is aware of.
Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceable functions and it doesn’t wish to develop a nuclear weapon.
Supreme Chief Khamenei issued a spiritual ruling to that impact in 2003, and that has been the cornerstone of Iran’s nuclear coverage since.
Some Western analysts declare that, when it comes to capabilities, Iran is extremely near a nuclear weapon.
In March 2025, Rafael Grossi, the director basic of the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company, raised considerations over Iran’s enrichment of uranium. Iran has a stockpile of uranium enriched to about 60 %, the one non-nuclear state to have that.
Whereas Iran has maintained that it doesn’t need a nuclear weapon, Iranian leaders have made it clear that the choice rests solely with them.
In March, Khamenei stated: “If we wished to construct nuclear weapons, the US wouldn’t be capable to cease it.”
