‘Difficult But Useful’: United States and Iran Hold Fourth Round of Nuclear Talks in Oman

Latest Developments

• Fourth Round of Deliberations: A fourth round of negotiations between the United States and Iran over the future of Tehran’s nuclear program took place in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on May 11. Originally scheduled for May 3, the talks were postponed following the Islamic Republic’s objections to recently imposed U.S. sanctions against its oil industry. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei described the discussions — between delegations led by White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — as “difficult but useful,” in a statement published on X. He added that the goal was to “better understand each other’s positions and to find reasonable and realistic ways to address the differences.”
• Where the Parties Stand: Both the United States and Iran have expressed that they would prefer to resolve the nuclear dispute diplomatically, though U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that military strikes against the Islamic Republic remain an option if the talks fail. An Iranian source told CNN on May 11 that prohibiting Tehran’s domestic uranium enrichment is a “definite red line” in negotiations. Meanwhile, Witkoff emphasized during a May 8 interview that “an enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line. No enrichment.”
• Next Round To Be Scheduled: A U.S. official said that, following the conclusions of negotiations, both parties agreed to continue talks focused on the technical aspects of a potential nuclear deal. “We are encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future,” the same official stated. Baqeaei added that that the next round of talks would be “coordinated and announced by Oman.”

FDD Expert Response

“An important question is whether the two sides are simply talking for the sake of delaying a U.S. decision over military strikes against Iran’s nuclear program. The administration needs to fully articulate its position on the dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear fuel production capabilities, weaponization program, and missile delivery work — and know when it is time to walk away.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow

“If Iranian official statements after every round of talks is a guide, differences in the U.S. and Iranian positions appear to be making themselves much more manifest. Despite earlier statements about the ways with which the Trump administration might achieve its goal of a non-nuclear Iran, standing firm on its demand for no enrichment and full dismantlement will be crucial. Defending this position by the administration is about pursuing an end state that makes the most sense for U.S. national security and ensuring the Islamic Republic knows it has more to lose than to gain by resisting.” —Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow

FDD Background and Analysis

“Any Iranian Enrichment Gives Tehran a Path to Nuclear Weapons,” by Andrea Stricker

“What does Trump mean by ‘total dismantling’ of Iran’s nuclear program?” by Jacob Nagel

“‘That’s All I’d Accept’: Trump Stands Firm on Dismantling Iranian Nuclear Program as Tehran Tests New Missile,” FDD Flash Brief

“FAQ: What Should Be Washington’s Position on Iran’s Nuclear Dismantlement?” by Andrea Stricker and Janatan Sayeh

“Iran’s Nuclear Disarmament,” by Orde Kittrie, Andrea Stricker, and Behnam Ben Taleblu