Iran-US nuclear talks: Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meet in Oman

[00:00] Frederick Moore: From Neural Newscast, I'm Frederick Moore. [00:03] Hannah Whitmore: And I'm Hannah Whitmore. [00:04] Frederick Moore: Oman is acting as a mediator for indirect talks today between Iran and the United States. [00:10] Frederick Moore: Both nations are seeking a way to de-escalate a volatile nuclear standoff. [00:16] Frederick Moore: Officials from both delegations arrived at the Omani Foreign Ministry in Muscat to meet with leadership separately. [00:23] Frederick Moore: This is a search for a diplomatic off-ramp. [00:25] Frederick Moore: It follows months of military strikes and internal Iranian unrest. [00:30] Frederick Moore: This is the most significant diplomatic movement since the conflict involving Israel last June. [00:35] Frederick Moore: The international community is now watching to see if Tehran is ready to make concessions on its uranium enrichment. [00:42] Hannah Whitmore: The scene in Muscat is one of high security and careful coordination. [00:46] Hannah Whitmore: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Argotchi arrived first. [00:51] Hannah Whitmore: He was followed later by a U.S. delegation led by special envoy Steve Wickoff and Jared Kushner. [00:58] Hannah Whitmore: One detail has caught the attention of many observers. [01:01] Hannah Whitmore: U.S. Navy Admiral Brad Cooper is present at these talks. [01:05] Hannah Whitmore: He is the head of central command. [01:07] Hannah Whitmore: It is rare to see the top regional military commander at a diplomatic session like this. [01:13] Hannah Whitmore: His presence suggests that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is a top priority. [01:18] Hannah Whitmore: Recent drone activity in the region is likely just as high on the agenda as the nuclear centrifuges. [01:25] Frederick Moore: The timing of these talks is critical. [01:28] Frederick Moore: The Iranian government is facing significant internal pressure. [01:32] Frederick Moore: Nationwide protests last month have left the leadership in a difficult position. [01:37] Frederick Moore: Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other U.S. officials believe the current government is at its most vulnerable point in decades. [01:45] Frederick Moore: The U.S. continues to maintain significant carrier power in the region. [01:49] Frederick Moore: However, a specific diplomatic proposal is now on the table. [01:53] Frederick Moore: It involves a three-year freeze on uranium enrichment. [01:56] Frederick Moore: Under this plan, Iran would ship its highly enriched uranium to Russia. [02:01] Frederick Moore: This move would prevent the material from reaching weapons-grade purity. [02:04] Hannah Whitmore: Other nations in the Gulf are watching these developments with caution. [02:08] Hannah Whitmore: Qatar and Turkey have been pushing for this diplomatic track. [02:11] Hannah Whitmore: They want to avoid being caught in the crossfire of a regional war. [02:15] Hannah Whitmore: The risks have been clear for some time. [02:18] Hannah Whitmore: Recently, the U.S. shot down an Iranian drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln. [02:23] Hannah Whitmore: For the energy and farming sectors in neighboring states, [02:26] Hannah Whitmore: the stability of shipping lanes is vital. [02:28] Hannah Whitmore: Any breakthrough in Musket would be a matter of economic survival for these countries. [02:33] Frederick Moore: In Tehran, the domestic reaction remains complicated. [02:37] Frederick Moore: Foreign Minister Arrakshi says any agreement must be based on mutual respect. [02:42] Frederick Moore: He also insists that past commitments must be honored. [02:46] Frederick Moore: The final decision rests with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Kamenei. [02:51] Frederick Moore: Military and intelligence officials have offered some support for the negotiators. [02:56] Frederick Moore: However, the memory of the June strikes on Iranian nuclear sites still looms large. [03:01] Frederick Moore: The coming days will show if these indirect talks can lead to a formal framework. [03:05] Frederick Moore: The distrust between the two sides remains very deep. [03:09] Frederick Moore: We will continue to track the movement of the delegations as these technical negotiations progress. [03:15] Frederick Moore: I'm Hannah Whitmore. [03:16] Frederick Moore: And I'm Frederick Moore. [03:18] Frederick Moore: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed. [03:23] Frederick Moore: View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com.