Trump Breaks Silence on Iran Nuclear Talks, Results Defy Expectations
US President Donald Trump said Washington had held “very productive” discussions with Tehran after delegations from the two countries met separately in Muscat, with the Omani government acting as mediator.
“We also had very good talks regarding Iran,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling to his private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, according to AFP on Saturday (February 7, 2026). He added that another round of talks was expected early next week.
From Tehran’s side, Iranian officials expressed readiness to continue negotiations and characterized the atmosphere as positive. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led the Iranian delegation, said the discussions were conducted in a constructive spirit.
“In a very positive environment, we exchanged our arguments and received the other side’s viewpoints,” Araghchi said in remarks broadcast on Iranian state television. He noted that both parties had “agreed to continue the negotiations.”
Araghchi emphasized that the Muscat talks were “exclusively focused” on Iran’s nuclear program, which Western countries have long accused of being aimed at developing nuclear weapons. Tehran, however, maintains that its nuclear activities are strictly peaceful.
In a separate interview with Iran’s official news agency IRNA, Araghchi expressed hope that the United States would refrain from “threats and pressure” so that the dialogue could move forward.
The Oman talks marked the first engagement between the longtime adversaries since the United States joined Israel in military operations against Iran last June, including strikes on several nuclear-related facilities. The discussions were conducted without direct contact, with messages exchanged through Omani intermediaries.
The US delegation was led by Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and influential Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Washington reportedly sought to broaden the agenda to include Iran’s support for militant groups, its ballistic missile program, and Tehran’s handling of recent protests.
Shortly after the talks concluded, the United States announced new sanctions targeting shipping companies and vessels accused of facilitating Iranian oil exports. The measures are intended to restrict a key source of revenue for Tehran, although it remains unclear whether the sanctions were directly linked to the outcome of the Oman negotiations.
Trump, meanwhile, continued to issue stark warnings. “If they don’t make a deal, the consequences will be very severe,” he said, hinting at potential further action against Iran.
Photos released by Oman’s state news agency showed US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Brad Cooper also present during the meetings. The talks reportedly lasted from morning until late afternoon, with delegations traveling back and forth to the residence of Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi.
Regional US ally Qatar welcomed the dialogue, expressing hope that it would “lead to a comprehensive agreement that serves the interests of both sides and enhances regional security and stability,” according to a statement from Doha’s foreign ministry.
European reactions also surfaced. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described Iran as a “destabilizing force,” citing its nuclear ambitions and support for groups he labeled as “terrorist organizations.” He urged Iran-backed factions to exercise “maximum restraint” in the event of further military escalation involving the Islamic Republic.
Despite the renewed diplomatic effort, tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high. Trump had previously threatened military action in response to Iran’s harsh crackdown on demonstrators last month, at one point telling protesters that “help is on the way.”
Several regional countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, have urged the United States to avoid military intervention and instead encourage both sides to return to negotiations.
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), at least 6,505 protesters have been killed in the crackdown as of Friday, along with 214 members of the security forces and 61 uninvolved civilians. The death toll is expected to rise, as a two-week internet blackout has hampered data collection amid widespread security operations.
HRANA also reported that nearly 51,000 people have been arrested, with growing accounts of the use of forced confessions.
Nevertheless, Trump’s attention in recent days has shifted back to Iran’s nuclear program. The United States has also deployed a naval strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East. Iran has repeatedly warned that it would retaliate against any attack on US bases in the region.
Meanwhile, the US State Department reiterated that the latest sanctions are part of Washington’s “maximum pressure” policy toward Tehran. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Trump remains “committed to driving down the Iranian regime’s illegal oil and petrochemical exports under his administration’s maximum pressure campaign.”
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