JERUSALEM, Israel – Negotiations with Iran appeared to be falling apart, but now they are back on. The United States and Iran are set to meet again for nuclear talks this Friday in Oman as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that nuclear talks will take place Friday night in Muscat, Oman, crediting the Omani government for stepping in after disagreements over the format and scope of the talks nearly derailed them.
The renewed negotiations follow reports that Iran pushed for a much narrower agenda focused solely on its nuclear program, excluding broader concerns such as sanctions, Iranian proxy terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, and the regime’s violent crackdown on domestic protests.
Earlier plans to hold talks in Istanbul with regional partners were dropped, underscoring just how fragile the diplomatic process remains.
The announcement comes as sharp rhetoric from President Donald Trump continues to escalate. Asked whether Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should be concerned, Trump issued a blunt warning.
“I would say he should be very worried,” the president stated. “As you know, they’re negotiating with us.”
Trump also addressed Iran’s internal unrest, pointing to U.S. military action against Tehran’s nuclear program as a turning point.
“We’ve had their back, and look, that country’s a mess right now because of us. We went in, we wiped out their nuclear. … We have peace in the Middle East. If we didn’t take out their nuclear, we wouldn’t have peace in the Middle East, because the Arab countries couldn’t have done that.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the upcoming talks, making clear the United States does not believe a narrow agreement will work.
“As far as the topic of those discussions and what the agenda needs to be, look, I think in order for those talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things. And that includes the range of their ballistic missiles, that includes their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region, and that includes the nuclear program, and that includes the treatment of their own people,” Rubio stated.
The Israel Defense Forces released drone footage showing Hamas operatives transporting weapons inside ambulances in northern Gaza. The IDF claimed the footage exposes how Hamas repeatedly uses civilian medical vehicles to move arms from a hospital to a school, calling it a clear violation of international law and the ceasefire agreement.
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In Washington, First Lady Melania Trump welcomed former Hamas hostages Aviva Siegel and her husband, Keith Siegel to the White House, marking an emotional moment for the American-Israeli couple.
“I would like to welcome Aviva Siegel and Keith Siegel in the White House,” the first lady said. “Aviva was a hostage for 51 days, captured by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and Keith was captured for 484 days. We set up a meeting in New York in January 2025. It was an emotional meeting. Aviva presented me with two of Keith’s books, and when I came home that evening, I gave it to my husband and informed him of the situation.”
Keith Siegel then thanked Mrs. Trump for the administration’s efforts to secure his release and for standing with his family during his captivity.
“I want to start by saying thank you to the First Lady, Melania Trump, and to President Trump. I want to thank you for being a caring, compassionate person and for supporting and helping Aviva during those difficult days.”
