Trump signals readiness for Iran nuclear talks via Omani channel – Iraqi media
US President-elect Donald Trump has sent a message to Tehran through Omani intermediaries expressing readiness to negotiate a new nuclear deal if re-elected, an Iranian official with direct knowledge of the matter told Iraqi newspaper Baghdad Alyoum on December 22.
The diplomatic outreach, delivered in recent days, indicated Trump's willingness to pursue high-level direct talks with Iran early in a potential second term. However, any new agreement would differ from the 2015 nuclear deal he abandoned, the sources said.
"Iran received a message from the elected US administration through Oman, which is one of the important channels in exchanging messages between Tehran and Washington," the source was quoted as saying.
The Omani channel has historically served as a back channel for sensitive US-Iran communications. Trump withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, reimposing sanctions on Tehran.
According to the source, Trump will wait "no more than a few months" for Iranian officials to respond regarding their readiness to negotiate on several issues, primarily the nuclear file.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration is weighing its response as the country deals with economic and environmental challenges, including a roughly 300% currency depreciation over eight years and multiple days of shutdowns over its ongoing energy crisis, an economist said, speaking with IntelliNews on December 22.
Iran's currency, the rial, tumbled to its lowest-ever value against the dollar recently, hitting a low of IRR770,000 against the dollar.
Trump has set a timeline of several months for Iran to indicate willingness to negotiate on issues including its nuclear programme, according to the sources. However, they noted that US commitment to any new agreement would not be guaranteed.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Iranian and US governments do not have formal diplomatic relations.
Analysts say any renewed negotiations would face significant obstacles given the history of mistrust between the nations and regional tensions.
The Iraqi newspaper report comes as the New York Times previously photographed billionaire Elon Musk reportedly leaving a meeting with Iran's diplomats in the UN.
Trump has genuine opportunity to negotiate Iran nuclear deal
TEHRAN, Dec. 22 (MNA) – National security adviser Jake Sullivan suggested there is a “genuine opportunity” for President-elect Donald Trump to be a key player in getting an Iran nuclear deal following fall of Bashar Assad government in Syria.
According to the CNN report, Sullivan, however, highlighted the “real risk” that Iran may revisit its nuclear doctrine in the aftermath of the Assad government in Syria.
“It’s a risk that I’m personally briefing the incoming team on. I was just in Israel, consulting with the Israelis on this risk,” he told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an interview that aired Sunday.
Iran’s “conventional capability has been reduced,” Sullivan claimed.
The US official said that Iran has lost its alleged proxies while the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei dismissed in a speech earlier on Sunday claims that Iran has been cut off from its “proxy forces” in the region, asserting that the Islamic Republic neither has nor needs such forces to achieve its objectives.
In 2018, Iran activated the dispute resolution mechanism within the Joint Commission of the JCPOA at the level of foreign ministers from the remaining signatories to the agreement. Consequently, the JCPOA members issued a statement outlining 11 commitments aimed at compensating for the economic damages caused by the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the deal and re-imposition of sanctions against Iran.
Iran honored its commitments under the JCPOA for a year following the US withdrawal, hoping to give European nations time to fulfill their promises to mitigate the impacts of Washington’s unilateral exit. Nevertheless, as European countries failed to meet their commitments, Iran began to reduce its obligations under the JCPOA in several stages.
Negotiations to resume the implementation of the JCPOA have been held over eight rounds in Vienna, with representatives from the remaining signatories of the deal, the European Union, and Iran participating. The US delegation took part in the discussions indirectly.
However, the talks have stalled due to factors such as contradictions in behavior, delays in decision-making, excessive demands, and new requests from the United States.
MNA
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