Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr stated on the evening of the 26th via social media that the third round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran, held in Geneva, Switzerland on that day, had concluded with 'significant progress.'
Badr said that after the U.S. and Iranian representatives report back to their respective governments, the talks will resume as soon as possible. 'Technical-level discussions' are scheduled to take place next week in Vienna, the capital of Austria.
● Reports of U.S. 'Disappointment'
With Oman acting as the intermediary, the third round of indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. unfolded in two phases on the same day, separated by a recess lasting several hours. The U.S. news site Axios cited sources as saying that U.S. President Trump’s envoy Brian Hook and son-in-law Jared Kushner expressed 'disappointment' at what was conveyed by the Iranian side that morning.
This decades-long discussion over Iran’s nuclear weapons dispute comes amid heightened concerns about the Middle East descending into war. Trump has repeatedly threatened to take action if an agreement is not reached, and the U.S. military has already deployed forces in waters near Iran.
According to analysis by The Guardian, Iran and Oman are attempting to frame the talks as hopeful in order to prevent the U.S. from using its fleet of warplanes and warships amassed in the Middle East.
Currently, the U.S. military presence in the Middle East includes two carrier strike groups, attack aircraft, aerial refueling assets, and submarines equipped with Tomahawk missiles. Experts believe the U.S. already possesses sufficient capability to launch an attack on Iran.
Previously, Iran and the U.S. held two rounds of indirect talks on the 6th and 17th of this month in Muscat, the capital of Oman, and in Geneva, respectively.