Iranian media: US constantly shifts positions, talks stalled over substance not location
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Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted an informed source as saying that the main obstacle in indirect talks with the United States is not the venue of the meeting, but deep differences in core positions and what Tehran describes as Washington’s repeated changes to its stance.
According to the source, U.S. officials adopted a fluctuating approach to both the format and substance of negotiations, leading to the collapse of the meeting that had been scheduled for Friday in Muscat.
Iranian officials argue that this inconsistency, whether over the scope of talks or the provision of advance guarantees, reflects a lack of seriousness by the administration of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, or the impact of external pressure pushing Washington to impose shifting conditions.
Read more: US-Iran talks set for Friday canceled, Axios reports
Dispute over scope and red lines
The report said the core reason behind the failure of the Muscat round was a sharp disagreement over the negotiation agenda. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that talks be limited to the nuclear file and the lifting of sanctions, citing Iran’s sovereignty and its deterrence capabilities.
By contrast, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff rejected limiting the agenda, pushing to expand discussions to include Iran’s ballistic missile program and the activities of regional allies such as Hezbollah and the Houthis.
This clash highlights what both sides describe as red lines. Washington maintains that any agreement that does not address Iran’s regional influence would be fragile and unsustainable.
Read more: Trump says Iran’s Khamenei “should be worried”
Talks canceled amid rising tensions
The meeting was formally canceled after last-minute technical and legal disputes, according to Axios, which cited U.S. officials who said Iran had moved away from the planned talks.
The cancellation followed Tehran’s request for advance U.S. guarantees and its insistence on indirect negotiations, conditions Washington rejected, accusing Iran of attempting to bypass earlier understandings.
The stalled talks underscore the fragile state of the diplomatic track between Washington and Tehran, with no clear timeline for resuming negotiations despite rising regional tensions.
