Iran FM arrives in Oman ahead of nuclear talks with US

Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi arrived in Oman on Friday ahead of fresh nuclear talks with the United States, after both sides said progress had been made in previous rounds.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei posted on X that "Araghchi and his accompanying delegation arrived in Muscat for the third round of Iran-US talks".

Mehr news agency of Iran had earlier released a brief video showing the foreign minister disembarking from an Iranian government plane in Muscat.

Since his return to office in January, United States President Donald Trump has reimposed sweeping sanctions under his policy of "maximum pressure" against Tehran.

In March, he sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for talks but warning of possible military action if they failed to produce a deal.

Western countries including the United States have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons – an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its programme is for peaceful civilian purposes.

Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will represent the United States in the talks.

According to Baqaei, the dialogue is to be again mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, on Saturday morning.

Earlier Friday, Baqaei said Araghchi will be leading a delegation of diplomats and technical experts for indirect discussions with the US side, according to a foreign ministry statement.

The meeting follows two earlier rounds of Omani-mediated negotiations in Muscat and Rome starting on April 12.

The latest round will include expert-level talks on Iran's nuclear programme, with Michael Anton, who serves as the State Department's head of policy planning, leading the technical discussions on the US side, the Department said.

Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that deputy foreign ministers Kazem Gharibabadi and Majid Takht-Ravanchi will lead the Iranian technical team.

Baqaei wrote on X that Iran's delegation is "resolved to secure our nation's legitimate and lawful right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes while taking reasonable steps to demonstrate that our programme is entirely peaceful."

"Termination of unlawful and inhumane sanctions in an objective and speedy manner is a priority that we seek to achieve," he added.

Baqaei earlier Friday said "progress in the negotiations requires the demonstration of goodwill, seriousness, and realism by the other side."

Iran will treat Saturday's talks seriously, Araghchi said in an interview, "and if the other party also enters seriously, there is potential for progress".