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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday (April 10, 2025) that the United States will hold direct talks with Iran this weekend to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The talks between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and a senior Iranian leader are scheduled for Saturday (April 12, 2025) in Oman. “We hope that’ll lead to peace. We’ve been very clear that Iran is never going to have a nuclear weapon, and I think that’s what led to this meeting,” Mr. Rubio said during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Donald Trump.
Mr. Trump on Monday (April 7, 2025) made a surprise announcement that the United States and Iran were poised to begin direct talks on Tehran’s nuclear program on Saturday (April 12, 2025), warning that Iran would be in “great danger” if the talks were unsuccessful.
The announcement caused some confusion because Iran had said the talks would be indirect, with the Omanis acting as mediators. A U.S. official familiar with the planning said the two delegations would be in the same room for the talks.
Tracing Iran-U.S. nuclear saga: A history of strained negotiations
U.S. President Donald Trump surprised the world on Monday (April 7, 2025) by announcing that Washington and Tehran would begin talks in Oman, which has mediated between the West and Tehran before. The longtime adversaries are set to hold talks in Muscat on Saturday (April 12, 2025) to reach a potential nuclear deal.
Regardless of the format, the talks represent a milestone in the fraught relations between the two nations over Iran’s program, which is enriching uranium close to weapons-grade levels.
Iran says giving diplomacy ‘genuine chance’ in Oman talks with U.S.
Iran said Friday (April 11, 2025) it was giving diplomacy a “genuine” chance in surprise nuclear talks with the United States in Oman, despite mounting pressure from Washington.
Longtime adversaries Iran and the United States are set to hold talks on Saturday (April 12, 2025) in Muscat, aimed at reaching a potential nuclear deal. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (April 7, 2025) made a shocking announcement that his administration would open negotiations with Iran.
President Donald Trump wants Iran to know that there will be “all hell to pay” if it does not abandon its nuclear program, his press secretary told reporters on Friday (April 11, 2025) ahead of talks on Saturday (April 12, 2025) between U.S. and Iranian delegations.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr. Trump’s “ultimate objective is to ensure that Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon” and that Mr. Trump believes in diplomacy, but that “all options are on the table” if diplomatic efforts fail.
Rubio says direct U.S.-Iran nuclear talks to take place on April 12, 2025. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday (April 10, 2025) that the United States will hold direct talks with Iran this weekend to discuss Iran’s nuclear program.
The talks between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and a senior Iranian leader are scheduled for Saturday in Oman.
“We hope that’ll lead to peace. We’ve been very clear that Iran is never going to have a nuclear weapon, and I think that’s what led to this meeting,” Mr. Rubio said during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Donald Trump.
