Iran trying to limit talks to nuclear issue, avoid broader negotiations – report

Iranian MP declares Tehran won’t compromise on any key issues, including its nuclear program, support for terror proxies, and ballistic missile program.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Iran nearly bolted this week from a planned summit with the United States slated for Friday, Axios reported on Tuesday, after Tehran demanded that the meeting be held in Oman rather than Turkey.

On Tuesday, Iran’s president announced that he had instructed Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to conduct negotiations with the United States, with reports that a summit would be held in Istanbul.

However, two sources told Axios that Iran demanded the venue be changed to Oman, threatening to drop out of the planned gathering.

The US reportedly agreed to the change in location.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump declined to answer questions from reporters in the Oval Office regarding the location of the summit while adding that multiple meetings have been planned.

Reuters also reported that Iran sought to relocate the meeting, citing a regional official who said that Tehran sought Oman as the venue.

The official claimed that the move is part of a broader strategy by Tehran to pressure the US to accept limited talks focused exclusively on restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, while avoiding other hot-button issues the Trump administration has sought to resolve.

The US is said to have pushed for two negotiation tracks – one focused on uranium enrichment, while the other would span a variety of subjects, including the government crackdown on dissident protesters, Iran’s ballistic missile program, and the regime’s support for terrorist proxies across the Middle East.

While the talks are still expected to move forward on Friday despite the downing of an Iranian drone that approached an American carrier battle group on Tuesday, a senior Iranian lawmaker said Wednesday that Tehran would not budge on any of the major issues.

“Iranian officials have red lines for the content of any negotiations that they will certainly observe, including preserving the right to enrichment, missile range, and support for the axis of resistance,” Deputy Speaker of the Iranian parliament Ali Motahhari said, according to Iran International.

“Naturally, Iran will not retreat from any of these, nor will it ever accept recognizing Israel.”

IranIran nuclear dealOman