In a information convention on April 7, United States President Donald Trump stated there have been direct talks between Iran and his administration on the way forward for Tehran’s nuclear programme.
“We’re having direct talks with Iran,” Trump stated. “On Saturday, we’ve got a really large assembly.”
Iran denied the direct talks however admitted talks have been set to happen by means of Omani mediation.
Trump’s announcement got here as a shock to many, as Iran has lengthy refused to carry direct talks. So, has one thing modified?
Right here’s all the pieces we all know thus far.
What did Trump say?
Curiously, he has doubled down on the talks being “direct”, saying they’ve begun and the following assembly can be on Saturday.
“Lots of people say, oh, possibly you’re going by means of surrogates otherwise you’re not dealing immediately, you’re dealing by means of different nations,” he stated.
“No, we’re coping with them immediately. And possibly a deal’s going to be made.
“Doing a deal can be preferable to doing the apparent,” he stated, presumably in reference to attacking the regional big, one thing that US ally Israel has accomplished twice within the final 12 months.
In early March, Trump instructed reporters that he had written to Iranian authorities demanding talks on the nation’s nuclear programme and threatening army motion if there was no reply.
Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated on the time that Iran wouldn’t negotiate with “bullying governments”.
Trump has till now utilized what he calls a coverage of “most stress” on Iran, consisting of intensified sanctions.
What did Iran say?
Iran’s International Minister Abbas Araghchi stated oblique talks between himself and US Particular Envoy for the Center East Steve Witkoff would happen in Oman.
“It’s as a lot a chance as it’s a check,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Iran has lengthy stated it is not going to maintain direct talks with the US, however agreed to work by means of an Omani middleman, who was introduced by Iranian state media to be Omani International Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi.
Iran and america will meet in Oman on Saturday for oblique high-level talks.
It’s as a lot a chance as it’s a check. The ball is in America’s courtroom.
Iran’s messaging has oscillated between an openness to barter and rejection of the US’s threatening ways.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian stated in September that direct talks have been attainable if the US confirmed it was amenable to good-faith talks.
“We’re not hostile in direction of the US. They need to finish their hostility in direction of us by exhibiting their goodwill in apply,” Pezeshkian stated on the time. “We’re brothers with the Individuals as nicely.”
Nevertheless, earlier this week, Araghchi questioned Washington’s sincerity in calling for negotiations, saying on Sunday, “If you’d like negotiations, then what’s the level of threatening?”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (Maxim Shemetov/Reuters)
What would Trump need to negotiate?
Regardless of bombing Yemen and permitting Israel to have a free hand in Lebanon and Syria in addition to to restart the struggle on Gaza, Trump says he needs to be seen as a “peacemaker”.
He says he needs to barter Iran’s nuclear programme, to guarantee that Iran by no means builds a nuclear weapon.
Throughout his first time period in workplace, Trump really withdrew the US from a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers that curbed Iran’s nuclear programme in return for some sanctions reduction.
After withdrawing, Trump reapplied sanctions. He stated any settlement with Iran must restrict its typical weapons arsenal as nicely, not simply the nuclear programme.
In current weeks, he has stated Iran is materially aiding Yemen’s Houthis, blaming Iran at any time when the Houthis launch an assault on Israel or what they are saying is Israel-linked transport within the Arabian or Crimson seas.
It isn’t clear if that may come up in negotiations.
Trump can also need to focus on Iran’s elevated oil gross sales to China.
What would Iran need to negotiate?
Iran is fascinated about sanctions reduction to ease financial stress on Tehran because the nation suffers an financial disaster that has hit all sectors of society.
This would come with assurances that Iran would be capable to entry the SWIFT cash switch system in addition to worldwide funding.
Nevertheless, Iran additionally needs recognition of its nuclear programme, together with the best to some stage of enrichment and to make use of its centrifuges, constructed since 2018.
That stated, the 2 sides’ beginning positions are additional aside than when negotiations first began on the Joint Complete Plan of Motion (JCPOA), extensively often called the “Iran nuclear deal”.
Iran is asking for extra in depth sanctions reduction than supplied beneath Obama, whereas Trump has threatened to bomb Iran in the event that they don’t lower a deal.
Isn’t there already a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme?
Sure, the JCPOA.
As we talked about above, it exchanged assurances from Iran on limiting its nuclear programme for sanctions reduction.
Trump withdrew the US from the settlement in 2018, and his shut ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been one of many loudest voices opposing the JCPOA.
Trump and Netanyahu are in settlement, saying the JCPOA didn’t go far sufficient for lengthy sufficient, in reference to the JCPOA solely prohibiting sure nuclear actions for 10 to fifteen years.
They stated Iran’s typical weapons programme ought to be included in any cope with Iran, and that any reduction the Iranian financial system receives would solely allow Tehran to fund its regional allies to hold out actions assumed to “threaten Israel’s safety”.
Trump meets with Netanyahu in Washington, DC on April 7, 2025 (Kevin Mohatt/Reuters)
How shut is Iran to a nuclear weapon?
Nobody actually is aware of.
Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceable functions and it doesn’t need to develop a nuclear weapon.
Supreme Chief Khamenei issued a non secular ruling to that impact in 2003, and that has been the cornerstone of Iran’s nuclear coverage since.
Some Western analysts declare that, when it comes to capabilities, Iran is extremely near a nuclear weapon.
In March 2025, Rafael Grossi, the director normal of the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company, raised issues over Iran’s enrichment of uranium. Iran has a stockpile of uranium enriched to about 60 p.c, the one non-nuclear state to have that.
Whereas Iran has maintained that it doesn’t desire a nuclear weapon, Iranian leaders have made it clear that the choice rests solely with them.
In March, Khamenei stated: “If we wished to construct nuclear weapons, the US wouldn’t be capable to cease it.”
