Iran Rejects US Push to Expand Nuclear Talks to Defense Issues

DID Press: A senior informed source said Iran has firmly rejected U.S. efforts to broaden ongoing negotiations beyond the nuclear file to include Iran’s defensive and military capabilities, stressing that such matters are non-negotiable.

In remarks to Mehr News Agency, the source said Washington recently attempted to expand the scope of talks to cover Iran’s defense capacity and military deterrence. Iran, the source emphasized, has made its position clear from the outset: negotiations must remain strictly limited to the nuclear issue, as defense matters are directly tied to national security and deterrence.

The source added that Iran remains open to talks within a clearly defined framework based on mutual respect, warning that U.S. insistence on demands outside previous agreements could be the main cause of any potential deadlock.

Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that talks between Iran and the United States will be held on Friday at 10:00 a.m. in Muscat, thanking the Omani government for facilitating the meeting.

At the same time, Axios, citing two U.S. officials, reported that at least nine Arab and Muslim countries urged Washington not to cancel the Oman talks. According to the report, pressure from regional leaders prompted the U.S. administration to step back from threats of withdrawal, allowing negotiations to return to track.

Axios also said the Muscat talks will be bilateral and focused exclusively on the nuclear issue. The report noted that Steve Witkoff, the White House envoy, along with Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, are expected to meet Araghchi in Muscat on Friday morning. Reuters, citing a U.S. official, separately confirmed the meeting.