US and Iran schedule urgent negotiations to prevent war

Despite agreement on the location and date, the parties have not yet agreed on the agenda: Tehran insists on discussing its nuclear program exclusively, while Washington wants to include ballistic missiles and regional security.

The negotiations are taking place amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The US is increasing its military presence in the region following Trump's threats of a possible strike on Iran, while Iran fears that any military scenario could destabilize the situation inside the country.

Initially, the meeting was scheduled in Istanbul, but Tehran proposed moving it to Oman to limit the discussion to the nuclear issue. High-ranking American officials, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and US special envoy Steven Witkoff, are expected to participate in the negotiations along with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the negotiations should cover not only the nuclear program but also the range of Iranian ballistic missiles, support for regional proxy groups, and Iran's treatment of its own population. In response, Iranian officials stated that discussion of the missile program is not being considered, and any preconditions could jeopardize the negotiations.

These diplomatic efforts are taking place following last year's military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, which caused ean scalation in the region and increased the risks of a large-scale conflict. Tensions are further heightened by recent incidents involving Iranian drones and military vessels near the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf.

Despite disagreements over the agenda, both sides have confirmed their readiness to engage in dialogue, hoping the negotiations will help prevent escalation and contribute to stabilizing the situation in the Middle East.