Tehran, Feb 11 (IANS) Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected reports that indirect talks between Tehran and Washington would be held outside Oman, saying Muscat was always the agreed venue, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told a news briefing that Iran welcomed diplomatic efforts by regional and neighboring countries that had offered to help ease tensions and support dialogue, Xinhua news agency reported.
He said Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had been in contact with counterparts in regional countries as well as others concerned about regional peace and security. Those contacts, Baqaei said, took place “at the highest levels,” including with Iran’s president and foreign minister, and were aimed at reducing tensions and facilitating a diplomatic process.
Baqaei stressed, however, that there had never been any plan to hold the talks anywhere other than Oman.
Separately, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, arrived in Muscat on Tuesday, where he met with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, Oman’s official news agency reported. The two discussed regional and international issues and underscored the importance of dialogue and cooperation in supporting regional security and stability.
Also in the day, Larijani issued a warning on social media platform X ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday, where Iran is expected to feature prominently. Larijani warned that the United States should not let Netanyahu, “through posturing,” dictate the framework of nuclear negotiations.
Israel has argued that Iran “cannot be trusted” on the nuclear issue and has threatened unilateral action if US-Iran talks fail to meet its expectations. Before departing for Washington, Netanyahu said Iran would be the “first and foremost” topic in his meeting with Trump.
–IANS
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