Iran And US To Resume High Stakes Nuclear Talks

On Friday, February 7, 2026, all eyes will turn to Muscat, Oman, where Iran and the United States are set to resume high-stakes nuclear talks amid a backdrop of regional turmoil, shifting alliances, and mounting global anxieties. The discussions, which have teetered on the brink of collapse in recent weeks, were salvaged at the last minute after a coordinated push by Arab leaders convinced the White House to stay the diplomatic course, according to sources cited by Axios.

The significance of these negotiations can hardly be overstated. The talks come on the heels of a turbulent year that saw a 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025, a U.S.-backed bombing campaign targeting Iranian nuclear sites, and a bloody crackdown by Iranian authorities on nationwide protests that erupted in late December. Those demonstrations, sparked by the collapse of Iran’s rial currency, left thousands dead and tens of thousands detained, as reported by the Associated Press.

The nuclear issue itself remains a powder keg. Iran is currently enriching uranium up to 60% purity—dangerously close to weapons-grade levels—far beyond the 3.67% cap set by the 2015 nuclear deal. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s last report pegged Iran’s uranium stockpile at roughly 9,870 kilograms, with a fraction enriched to these high levels. U.S. intelligence agencies maintain that Iran has not yet launched a nuclear weapons program, but they acknowledge that Tehran has "undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so," according to the AP.

Friday’s talks were almost derailed earlier in the week when Iran insisted on moving the venue from Istanbul to Oman and narrowing the agenda to focus solely on nuclear issues. The U.S. initially balked at these demands, preferring a broader dialogue that would also cover Iran’s ballistic missile program, support for armed groups across the Middle East, and human rights abuses stemming from the recent crackdown. But after urgent lobbying by at least nine regional governments—many of whom feared that President Donald Trump might pivot to military action—the White House relented. "They asked us to keep the meeting and listen to what the Iranians have to say. We have told the Arabs that we will do the meeting if they insist. But we are very skeptical," one U.S. official told Axios.

The diplomatic choreography leading up to the talks has been complex. Mediators from Qatar, Turkiye, and Egypt have reportedly presented both sides with a framework of key principles to guide the discussions, according to Al Jazeera. On Tuesday, White House envoy Steve Witkoff met in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior defense officials to coordinate strategy, while Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner was scheduled to join Witkoff in Qatar on Thursday before heading to Oman.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on social media that the talks are "scheduled to be held in Muscat on about 10 am Friday," expressing gratitude to Oman for facilitating the arrangements. Oman, which has a long history of mediating between Tehran and Washington, hosted previous rounds of indirect talks as well, often serving as a neutral ground amid decades of mutual suspicion.

That suspicion is deeply rooted. The U.S. and Iran have seesawed between hostility and tentative diplomacy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ended the pro-American monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and ushered in a theocratic regime under Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The subsequent U.S. embassy hostage crisis, the Iran-Iraq war, and numerous proxy conflicts have kept relations fraught. The 2015 nuclear deal, brokered under President Barack Obama, offered a rare moment of détente—but President Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018 reignited tensions, setting the stage for the current standoff.

Recent days have only heightened the sense of volatility. On February 5, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized two vessels near Farsi Island in the Gulf, alleging they were part of a fuel smuggling operation. According to BBC, the IRGC detained 15 foreign crew members and claimed to have confiscated more than one million litres of smuggled fuel. The vessels were transferred to Bushehr, an Iranian port city, and the reports are being scrutinized by maritime analysts and tracking sites to confirm the details.

The security situation in the region remains precarious, with the U.S. and its allies maintaining a significant military presence. Oil markets have been whipsawed by the diplomatic uncertainty, with prices falling over 2% on Thursday after the talks were confirmed, according to Reuters. U.S. crude dropped to $63.8 a barrel, while Brent crude fell to $68.04. Analysts warn that these moves may be temporary, as underlying risks—including the possibility of military escalation—remain high. "It can be difficult to filter the messaging on Iran talks, which could lead to de-escalation but could also prove a mere tactical distraction ahead of military action," said Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Marquee, in comments reported by Reuters.

President Trump, for his part, has kept up the pressure. On March 5, 2025, he sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urging renewed negotiations and warning that "if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing." He reiterated this tough stance in a television interview the next day. Trump has also threatened to intervene in support of Iranian protesters and has not ruled out further military action if diplomacy fails. "Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should be very worried," Trump said on February 3, a comment that sent oil prices temporarily surging by about 3%.

Despite the flurry of shuttle diplomacy and the best efforts of mediators, skepticism runs deep on both sides of the table. "We are not naive about the Iranians. If there is a real conversation to have we will have it but we are not going to waste our time," a U.S. official told Axios. Iranian officials, meanwhile, have insisted for years that their nuclear ambitions are peaceful, even as their rhetoric has grown more bellicose in the face of mounting pressure.

As the world waits to see whether Friday’s talks can break the deadlock or merely buy time before the next crisis, the stakes could hardly be higher. The outcome will not only determine the future of Iran’s nuclear program but could also reshape the balance of power—and the prospects for peace—in a region that has long been a flashpoint for global conflict.