Oman to host US-Iran nuclear talks on Sunday: FM

MUSCAT, Oman: Oman said Thursday it will host a sixth round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran over the weekend amid escalating tensions between the long-time foes.

“I am pleased to confirm the 6th round of Iran US talks will be held in Muscat this Sunday,” Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X.

Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear deal to replace the 2015 accord that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.

The announcement by Oman came just hours after President Donald Trump said US personnel were being moved from the potentially “dangerous” Middle East.

Trump also reiterated that he would not allow Iran to have an atomic bomb amid mounting speculation that Israel could strike Iranian nuclear facilities.

Iran threatened Wednesday to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out.

Trump had until recently expressed optimism about the talks, but said in an interview published Wednesday that he was “less confident” about reaching a deal.

Since returning to office in January, Trump revived his “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran, backing nuclear diplomacy but warning of military action if it fails.

The US president says he has pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off striking Iran’s nuclear facilities to give the talks a chance, but has increasingly signalled that he is losing patience.