US And Iran Set For High Stakes Nuclear Talks

After months of mounting tensions, shifting diplomatic signals, and a region on edge, the United States and Iran are set to meet in Muscat, Oman, for high-stakes nuclear talks on Friday, February 7, 2026. The negotiations, which have drawn intense international scrutiny, come against a backdrop of recent military confrontations, a bloody crackdown on protesters inside Iran, and persistent fears of a broader conflict erupting in the Middle East.

According to The Associated Press, the talks mark the latest chapter in a saga that has seen both sides oscillate between confrontation and diplomacy. The meeting, scheduled for 10 a.m. local time, will involve Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Jared Kushner, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, is also expected to join after holding preliminary discussions in Doha.

The road to Muscat has been anything but straightforward. As Axios reported, the U.S. and Iran initially agreed to convene in Istanbul, with other Middle Eastern countries observing. However, Iran insisted on moving the talks to Oman and narrowing the agenda strictly to nuclear issues, excluding topics like ballistic missiles and support for proxy groups—issues the U.S. and its regional allies consider vital. The Trump administration at first balked, but relented after urgent lobbying from at least nine Arab leaders, who pressed the White House not to abandon the diplomatic track. "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," a U.S. official told Axios.

This skepticism is not without reason. The region has only just emerged from a 12-day war in June 2025, triggered by an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. That conflict was followed by the U.S. bombing additional Iranian sites, actions that led Iran to halt all uranium enrichment temporarily. Yet, as of the International Atomic Energy Agency's last report, Iran's uranium stockpile stood at approximately 9,870 kilograms, with a portion enriched to 60%—far above the 3.67% cap set by the 2015 nuclear deal, from which the U.S. unilaterally withdrew in 2018.

As tensions simmered, Iran was also rocked by nationwide protests starting in late December 2025, sparked by a collapsing currency and widespread public anger. The government responded with a sweeping and violent crackdown, leaving thousands dead and tens of thousands detained. President Trump, referencing the unrest, has repeatedly threatened military action if Iran escalates its repression or resumes mass executions. In an interview with NBC News, he declared, "I would say he (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader) should be very worried. Yeah, he should be."

Diplomatic efforts have not been limited to direct communication. Trump sent a letter to Khamenei on March 5, 2025, urging a return to the negotiating table. He warned, "I’ve written them a letter saying, ‘I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing.’" The letter echoed his earlier outreach to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, though the results of those overtures remain mixed.

Iran’s position is clear: it insists its nuclear program is peaceful and that negotiations must focus exclusively on nuclear issues and the lifting of crippling U.S.-led sanctions. As Tasnim News Agency reported, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated, “At all times, we consider ourselves obliged to demand the rights of the Iranian nation.” He added that Iran is “responsible for not missing opportunities to use diplomacy to secure national interests and safeguard peace and stability in the region.” However, Iran’s deployment of its most advanced long-range ballistic missile, the Khorramshahr 4, at a Revolutionary Guard underground site, underscores the ever-present military undertone of these talks.

On the American side, the Trump administration is pushing for a broader agenda. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the U.S. wants to include Iran’s missile program, support for armed groups, and human rights abuses in the discussions. “The range of their ballistic missiles, their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region, and the treatment of their own people” are all on Washington’s list, Rubio said.

The stakes are high not just for the two countries, but for the global economy. As reported by Reuters, oil prices fell more than 2% on Thursday after news broke that the talks would proceed, with U.S. crude trading at $63.8 a barrel and Brent at $68.04. The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Oman and Iran, remains a chokepoint for about a fifth of the world’s oil. Any military escalation would threaten this vital artery, sending prices soaring and rattling markets worldwide. Analysts caution that despite the dip, risks remain elevated. Saul Kavonic of MST Marquee noted, “The large build up of military assets in the region by the U.S. and allies suggests a strike is more likely than not and the oil price is building in a premium to at least partly reflect that.”

Recent incidents have kept nerves on edge. On Tuesday, a U.S. aircraft carrier shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively approached” in the Arabian Sea, while Iranian gunboats threatened a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command. Such confrontations highlight just how quickly the situation could spiral out of control.

For now, the world waits to see whether Muscat will mark a turning point or just another waypoint in a long, fraught journey. U.S. officials remain wary. “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 senior official told Axios. Iran, for its part, remains equally cautious, shaped by decades of distrust and the bitter memory of the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord.

While the agenda may be narrow, the implications are anything but. With military assets amassed, oil markets jittery, and the region’s leaders watching closely, the outcome of Friday’s talks in Oman could reverberate far beyond the negotiating table.