Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Attend Conference in Oman

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit Oman to attend the 8th Indian Ocean Conference, set to be co-hosted by Oman, India, and Singapore. The visit will include bilateral meetings with other officials. This occurs amid ongoing tensions related to Iran’s nuclear program and US sanctions, as well as recent comments from US President Trump about negotiating with Iran.

Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, is set to visit Oman in the upcoming days to participate in a regional conference. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this on Friday, specifying that he will attend the 8th Indian Ocean Conference. This event is being co-hosted by Oman, India, and Singapore, and is scheduled to occur in Muscat on Sunday and Monday.

During his visit, Mr. Araghchi is expected to engage in bilateral discussions with other foreign ministers and officials attending the conference. His visit underscores Oman’s historical role as a mediator between Iran and Western nations, particularly in the context of ongoing dialogues regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

The conference occurs at a pivotal moment, following US President Donald Trump’s remarks indicating a willingness to negotiate with Iran to reach an agreement on its nuclear ambitions. President Trump expressed his desire, saying, “I’d love to make a deal with them without bombing them” – Fox News.

Since reinstating the “maximum pressure” policy, Trump has focused on halting Iran’s alleged nuclear weapon development, which Tehran has consistently denied. This geopolitical context is complicated by the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the 2018 nuclear deal, reinstating severe sanctions against Iran and prompting a rollback of Iran’s nuclear commitments since the US exit from the agreement.

In light of these developments, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently stated that the country should not engage in new negotiations with the United States, asserting, “No problem will be solved by negotiating with America,” pointing to prior experiences as the basis for his assertion.

The upcoming visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Oman highlights the continuing diplomatic efforts within the Middle East concerning nuclear negotiations. Amidst tensions exacerbated by US sanctions and political rhetoric, his participation in the Indian Ocean Conference and planned bilateral meetings may provide an opportunity for dialogue, despite skepticism expressed by Iranian leadership regarding negotiations with the United States.

Original Source: www.newarab.com