Iran Signals Openness To Nuclear Talks With US, Warns Against Trump's 'Aggressive Theatrics'

Iran on Friday expressed its willingness to engage in high-level nuclear discussions with the United States.

What Happened: President Donald Trump on Monday unexpectedly announced the upcoming talks, scheduled to take place in Oman.

This development comes in the wake of President Trump’s recent threat of military action should the talks fail. Oman has a history of serving as a mediator between the West and Iran.

Iran's foreign ministry urged the U.S. to appreciate Tehran's willingness to pursue dialogue, despite what it described as Washington's ongoing "aggressive theatrics."

Iranian spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei posted on X, “We intend to assess the other side's intent and resolve this Saturday.”

“In earnest and with candid vigilance, we are giving diplomacy a genuine chance.”

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Why It Matters: Since retaking office in January, Trump has intensified his approach toward Iran, which Israel — a close U.S. ally — views as a major threat due to its advancing nuclear program.

Israel’s military operations, including airstrikes within Iranian territory, have further strained the region. These actions followed a wave of violence in October 2023, when Hamas launched attacks against Israel, prompting a broader response that also impacted Iran and its regional allies.

The decision to engage in talks comes after Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dismissed Trump’s peace negotiation proposal in early March, accusing the U.S. of trying to “bully” Iran into compliance. This shift in stance could be a result of the mounting pressure from Israel’s military offensives and U.S. air strikes on Iran-aligned groups.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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