TEHRAN: Iran said on Monday that it currently sees “no grounds” for its indirect talks with the United States via mediator Oman, citing the escalating crisis in the Middle East.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking in Muscat, said that the talks, which had been facilitated by Oman since June, are on hold due to the region’s volatile situation.
“Currently we don’t see any ground for these talks, until we can get past the current crisis,” Araghchi told reporters. He said that the process had been halted “due to the specific conditions of the region.”
The suspension follows Iran’s missile strike on Israel on October 1, where it fired 200 missiles in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders and a general from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Israel has since vowed a strong response. Iran, a close supporter of Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, has long opposed Israel, which is backed by the United States as its close ally and major military benefactor.
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Meanwhile, Araghchi’s diplomatic efforts have continued with a meeting in Muscat with Yemen’s Houthi movement. The Iranian foreign minister held talks with Mohammad Abdelsalam, the chief negotiator of the Yemen National Salvation Government.
This meeting followed Araghchi’s wider diplomatic tour across the region, which included stops in Iraq and Qatar where discussions have largely focused on establishing ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza.
During his meeting with Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi, both sides called for an immediate end to the “Israeli regime’s genocide and aggression” in Gaza and Lebanon, according to Iran’s foreign ministry.
Oman’s foreign ministry also stressed the importance of diplomacy in resolving disputes across the region.
While Iranian officials insist they are fully prepared for a potential conflict, Araghchi reiterated Iran’s preference for peace. “We do not want war, we want peace,” he said during his visit to Muscat.
