ALBAWABA- Diplomatic efforts to revive US-Iran negotiations have hit a deadlock as Tehran’s last-minute demands to relocate and narrow the scope of planned talks were rejected by Washington, heightening fears of a military confrontation.
The multilateral meeting, originally scheduled for Friday in Istanbul, was intended to address Iran’s nuclear program along with ballistic missiles, regional proxy activity, and human rights concerns.
Iran sought to move the talks to Oman and limit discussions to bilateral nuclear issues, excluding other topics prioritized by the US and regional partners. US officials rejected the proposal, stating “either this format or nothing,” to which Tehran reportedly opted for the latter.
A senior US official said the US remains open to rescheduling if Iran returns to the original plan but warned that prolonged stalemate could trigger “other options,” echoing President Trump’s prior threats of military action.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that meaningful talks must include missiles, terrorism support, nuclear activities, and Iran’s domestic treatment of citizens. He reiterated that the US is ready for dialogue if Iran engages substantively, stating, “As long as Iran is ready, we are ready.”
Turkey had offered to host the summit as part of a regional push by Ankara, Egypt, and Qatar to ease US-Iran tensions amid a US military buildup in the Gulf following incidents like the downing of an Iranian drone.
The Istanbul format was designed as a regional summit, including observers from Qatar, Egypt, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, to broaden consensus beyond nuclear curbs. Iran’s insistence on Oman reflects its preference for past indirect talks, which have produced limited progress.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized Netanyahu's influence on the American war policy on X, calling him “Mr. America-Last” and linking to a 2002 Wall Street Journal article on Iraq, highlighting Tehran’s narrative of US adventurism.
White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Qatar for related discussions but plan to return without engaging Iran directly. Oil prices surged on reports of the stalled talks, underscoring the global stakes.
