'Difficult' US-Iran Talks Under Threat as Trump Heads to Middle East

Iran and the United States concluded a tense fourth round of nuclear negotiations on Sunday in Oman, with President Donald Trump threatening military action if a deal is not reached.

The three-hour meeting took place just days before Trump's Tuesday visit to the Middle East and against the backdrop of tensions over Iran's growing stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium.

Newsweek has reached out to the State Department and Iran's foreign ministry for comment.

Why It Matters

The talks are an attempt to revive diplomacy between two adversaries whose relationship has deteriorated sharply since Trump unilaterally pulled the U.S. out of a 2015 nuclear accord.

With Iran enriching uranium up to 60 percent purity and Israel threatening to launch strikes itself, the urgency to prevent an armed conflict is intensifying. Meanwhile, economic sanctions continue to cripple Iran, which seeks relief through a deal that would preserve its right to enrichment.

What to Know

In a post on X, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, said the latest round of talks were "difficult but useful." However, despite modest progress, a fundamental divide remains. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated that uranium enrichment is "non-negotiable," stating after the talks that Iran might limit the "dimensions, amount and level" for confidence-building, but enrichment itself would not stop.

Witkoff U-Turn

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff initially hinted at tolerating enrichment at 3.67 percent—the level allowed under the 2015 deal—but later reversed course. "An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again," he said, calling for the complete dismantlement of Iran's enrichment sites: Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who facilitated the indirect exchanges, said the meeting included "useful and original ideas," but no formal agreement has yet been reached.

Two-Month Deadline

The talks are up against a deadline delivered by Trump in a March 5 letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. That message gave Tehran two months to reach an agreement.

Domestic Challenges

Iran's domestic turmoil is amplifying the pressure on its diplomatic front. While the rial had previously plunged to over 1 million per U.S. dollar, it has recently rebounded to around 830,000, buoyed largely by speculation around ongoing negotiations. Yet, social unrest continues to simmer beneath the surface. Further adding to the instability, a deadly explosion on April 26 at a shipping port in the southern city of Bandar Abbas—reportedly tied to missile fuel—left dozens dead and over 1,000 injured.

What People Are Saying

Esmaeil Baqaei, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson wrote: "The fourth round of indirect Iran-U.S. negotiations is concluded; difficult but useful talks to better understand each other's positions and to find reasonable & realistic ways to address the differences. Next round will be coordinated and announced by Oman."

Steve Witkoff, U.S. Special Envoy stated: "An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That's our red line. No enrichment."

Badr al-Busaidi, Omani Foreign Minister said: "The discussions included useful and original ideas reflecting a shared wish to reach an honorable agreement."

What Happens Next

The outcome of Sunday's meeting could still set the stage for further negotiations. With Trump's Middle East visit imminent, and regional tensions high, the coming days may prove pivotal for diplomacy.