IRAN-U.S. NUCLEAR TALKS CALLED OFF AMID ESCALATING IRAN-ISRAEL CONFLICT

Agency report
Oman announced on Saturday that a planned sixth round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States, scheduled for this weekend, has been cancelled amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, who are currently engaged in their most intense exchange of attacks to date.
The nuclear talks, aimed at addressing Iran’s atomic programme, had started in April. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has issued warnings of potential military action should diplomatic efforts break down.
“The Iran US-talks scheduled to be held in Muscat this Sunday will not now take place,” Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X.
“Diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace,” he added.
A key sticking point in the talks in the lead-up to Sunday’s now cancelled meeting had been Iran’s enrichment of uranium.
The United States, Israel and other Western countries have long accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, an accusation it has categorically denied.
The huge wave of Israeli attacks on Iran’s military and nuclear facilities on Friday has cast the future of the talks into severe doubt.
A US administration official said told AFP on condition of anonymity that “while there will be no meeting Sunday, we remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon.”
The Iranian foreign ministry earlier said it would be “meaningless to participate in dialogue” with the United States at this point, citing Washington’s support for “the aggressor” Israel.
AFP
