Iran demands Oman venue for talks with US

KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran has demanded that talks with the United States scheduled for Friday be held in Oman instead of Turkey and the scope be narrowed to nuclear issues only, a media report said on Wednesday.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, along with representatives of several Arab and Muslim countries, were scheduled to meet in Turkey on Friday as part of renewed diplomatic efforts, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing two informed sources and a US official.

However, Tehran urged that the talks be moved to Oman and the scope limited to bilateral negotiations on nuclear issues only, Reuters reported.

It said Washington was seeking to include other issues, such as Iran’s ballistic missile programme and the activities of its allied groups in the region.

Amid these developments, tensions in the region have increased, with the United States reinforcing its military presence in the Middle East. Iran has warned it would respond forcefully if attacked by the US.

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