Fourth round of Muscat talks: challenging but fruitful

Following Western media uproar, particularly from the U.S., emphasizing the escalation of the contentious issue of uranium enrichment between Tehran and Washington in the days after the postponement of the fourth round of indirect Iran-U.S. negotiations mediated by Oman, this round of talks was held on Sunday, May 11, 2025, in Muscat, the capital of Oman.

Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, and Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s representative for Middle East affairs, led the Iranian and U.S. negotiating delegations, as they had in the previous three rounds. The indirect talks in the fourth round, under the aforementioned atmosphere, lasted three hours.

Both sides announced at the end of this round that the process was positive and encouraging, and an agreement was reached to continue the discussions.

Badr Albusaidi, Oman's Foreign Minister, described this round of indirect Iran-U.S. negotiations as nuclear talks that included useful and innovative ideas, reflecting a shared desire to reach a respectful agreement.

Axios, citing a senior U.S. official, reported that both sides agreed to continue negotiations on technical elements. The U.S. official stated, “We are encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to the next round, which will be held in the near future.”

Enrichment: An unchangeable red line

The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently emphasized that uranium enrichment within the country is an unchangeable red line. Nevertheless, U.S. officials, including Trump and Marco Rubio, his administration’s Secretary of State, struck a discordant note during the indirect negotiations by calling for a complete halt to Iran’s enrichment activities.

This issue fueled media hype and speculation, casting doubt on the diplomatic efforts to resolve Iran’s nuclear issue, but it had no impact on Iran’s fundamental stance.

Before traveling to Muscat on Sunday morning, Araghchi reiterated Iran’s clear nuclear positions, pointing out the contradictory U.S. stances and asserting that enrichment is one of the rights of the Iranian people and non-negotiable.

He stated that enrichment is one of Iran’s achievements and prides, attained at a heavy cost, and added that Iran is ready for further confidence-building measures.

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, emphasized during the fourth round of indirect negotiations, via a post on the social media platform X, Iran’s commitment to pursuing its right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy within the framework of the NPT.

At the conclusion of the fourth round of indirect talks with the U.S., Araghchi reiterated that Iran will not compromise on the issue of enrichment, and enrichment must continue.

Defeating media hype

The fourth round of indirect Iran-U.S. negotiations put an end to the widespread campaign orchestrated by Western media, led by U.S. outlets.

U.S. media, particularly since Trump’s return to the White House’s Oval Office, have shown strong alignment with the negotiating tactics of Trump’s team.

The Trump administration’s adoption of maximalist positions on various issues, as a negotiating tactic to reach middle-ground solutions, has been a recurring approach.

A media campaign aligned with this tactic, through speculation, analyses, and targeted reports, stirred the issue of Iran’s enrichment rights, which ultimately failed in Muscat’s negotiating halls due to Iran’s steadfast adherence to its reasonable positions.

Diplomacy remains the only path to resolving disputes

The holding of the fourth round of indirect Iran-U.S. negotiations and the agreement to hold the next round indicate that the prospect of reaching an agreement remains conceivable for Tehran and Washington, though a challenging path lies ahead.

The relative satisfaction of both sides with the fourth round of indirect talks highlights a key reality: both parties see the environment as conducive to finding solutions that eliminate or reduce differences.

Piecing together the various elements of these negotiations, the contents of which, like other talks, are not disclosed to the media, the fourth round of indirect Iran-U.S. talks, despite the heavy shadow of skepticism, did not face an entirely unfavorable path. It succeeded in overcoming obstacles and continuing its course.

Given Iran’s commitment to diplomacy, the U.S.’s adherence to the path of negotiation, and its avoidance of contradictory positions and statements, can ensure progress on this track to resolve disputes.