Muscat: The US and Iran delegates arrived Saturday in Oman ahead of the talks between the two countries following US President Donald Trump’s cautioning Tehran of military action if it fails to reach a final deal.
On Friday, on his way to Florida, Trump stated, “I don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country, but they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
The unexpected bilateral meeting between the two countries was announced by Trump back in the Oval Office in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a couple of days ago.
The meeting which could be direct or through intermediaries would take place in the presence of Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
White House secretary Karoline Leavitt in an AP told reporters categorically that the President’s ultimate aim is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. She added that he has clarified it to Iran which will be reiterated by his national security team as well that Iran has options to choose from. If it fails to meet Trump’s demand there is a hell lot to pay.”
In an audio clip published by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Abbas Araghachi said, “If there is sufficient will on both sides, we will decide on a timetable. But it is still too early to talk about that.”
“What is clear now is that the negotiations are indirect, and in our view only on the nuclear issue, and will be conducted with the necessary will to reach an agreement that is on an equal footing and leads to securing the national interests of the Iranian people,” he said in the clip.
Meanwhile, talking to The Wall Street before the trip, Witkoff said, “I think our position begins with the dismantlement of your programme. That is our position today. That doesn’t mean, by the way, that at the margin we’re not going to find other ways to find compromise between the two countries. Where our red line will be, there can’t be weaponisation of your nuclear capability.”
Iran’s Uranium stockpile and feasibility of nuclear weaponization
As per the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran was allowed to maintain a small reserve of Uranium which could be enriched up to 3.67 per cent. However, at present the country has enough stockpile of the element to build multiple nuclear weapons. As per an AP report, Tehran has some material enriched up to 60 per cent which is very close to the weapon-grade levels.
