MUSCAT —Saudi Arabia welcomed Oman's hosting of the talks between Iran and the United States, held in Muscat on Sunday, to resolve all regional and international disputes, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the Kingdom's support for these efforts and for adopting dialogue as a means to resolve all regional and international disputes. The Kingdom expressed its aspiration that the outcomes of the Iranian-American talks would contribute to strengthening joint efforts to enhance security, stability, and peace in the region and the world. Indirect talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff regarding the Iranian nuclear program concluded in Muscat via Omani mediation. These talks represent the highest-level talks on the issue since US President Trump withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Agreement in 2018, during his first term. The two countries will hold a new round of talks in Muscat next Saturday. A statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Envoy Steve Witkoff "agreed to continue the talks next week." The statement indicated that Araqchi and Witkoff spoke directly for "a few minutes," explaining that the Iranian delegation met with the US delegation after the indirect talks and greeted them. The White House described the talks with Iran as a "step forward," saying that US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Muscat and held "very positive and constructive" talks with him. Witkoff assured Araghchi that he has received instructions from President Trump to resolve the differences between the two countries through dialogue and diplomacy, if possible. The statement continued: "These issues are extremely complex. Special Envoy Witkoff's direct engagement today is a step forward toward achieving a mutually beneficial outcome." Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said that his country had mediated the start of a US-Iranian dialogue with the aim of "reaching a fair and binding agreement between the two parties." He also noted that "the US-Iranian talks took place in a friendly and constructive atmosphere, aiming to bring viewpoints closer together." Officials in Tehran have previously emphasized that the goal is to reach a fair, genuine, and sustainable agreement, lift sanctions, and discuss the nuclear deal. Meanwhile, Washington seeks to prevent Tehran from approaching the development of a nuclear bomb by forcing it to end its nuclear program. Following Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 agreement, Iran gradually backed away from its commitments. In early December, it announced that it had begun feeding new centrifuges into the Fordow site, "which will, in the long term, significantly increase the rate of production of uranium enriched to 60%," according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
