US-Iran nuclear talks begin under shadow of military escalation

Tehran warns of wider conflict while Washington signals readiness for escalation

06.02.2026

By MEE staff

Source:https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-iran-nuclear-talks-open-under-shadow-military-escalation

The United States and Iran began talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme on Friday in the Omani capital Muscat, with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meeting a delegation led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Araghchi, who met his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi in Muscat ahead of the planned meeting, called for "equal standing, mutual respect and mutual interest".

Meanwhile, the virtual US Embassy in Iran issued an alert on Friday, urging American citizens to “leave Iran now”.

Israeli Channel 12 reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a parliamentary committee that “there is a build-up of conditions toward a critical mass that could bring about the downfall of the Iranian regime".

The development comes amid a continued build-up by the American military and navy in the region, as US aircraft carriers conducted a resupply operation in the Arabian Sea.

The US Central Command (Centcom) on Friday released footage showing the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln conducting a replenishment in the Arabian Sea.

“Abraham Lincoln is deployed to the US 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the US Central Command area of responsibility,” Centcom said in a statement accompanying the video release.

Mixed signals

While the US has issued an alert amid continued military build-up, Israeli news organisation Haaretz reported that the two sides have agreed to limit discussions to the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme, dropping the US demand for the talks to cover Iran's ballistic missiles.

The report said that America agreed to the Iranian conditions following intervention by other countries in the region, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Iran has warned that it is prepared for regional conflict should its conditions for the negotiation framework be rejected, the report added.

Ahead of the meeting, Araghchi wrote on X: "Iran enters diplomacy with open eyes and a steady memory of the past year. We engage in good faith and stand firm on our rights."

On Thursday, Iran’s army spokesperson said the military is ready for a conflict if that is what the US wants.

Iranian Brigadier-General Mohammad Akraminia said: “We have always announced that we are ready to confront any option and any scenario that the enemy considers, and if the enemy chooses the option of war, we are ready for any option in war conditions.”

Trump “must choose between compromise or war,” he added, warning that if a war breaks out, “its scope will encompass the entire geography of the region and all US bases, from the occupied territories to the Persian Gulf and the Sea of ​​Oman".

US President Donald Trump has warned that “bad things” would probably happen if a deal could not be reached.