Witkoff: The U.S. Goal is to Dismantle Iran's Nuclear Program, but There Are Paths for Compromise

The U.S. special envoy emphasized that Washington's initial position is the dismantling of Tehran's nuclear program, but there are ways to find compromises between the two countries. The Iran-U.S. talks regarding Tehran's nuclear program are taking place today, Saturday, April 23, in Muscat, the capital of Oman, with both sides providing conflicting narratives about whether the talks are 'direct' or 'indirect.' Steve Witkoff, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on Friday, stressed that the U.S. government's 'red line' is Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons. Witkoff addressed Iranian officials, stating, 'I think our position starts with dismantling your [nuclear] program. That is our position today.' He added, 'However, this does not mean that we will not find other ways for compromise between the two countries on the sidelines... Where our red line is [that] your nuclear capability cannot be weaponized.' The Wall Street Journal noted that pressure for the complete removal of Iran's nuclear program could lead to a deadlock and possibly military action, while any agreement allowing Iran's nuclear program to continue in some form would ignore Israel's insistence on destroying Iran's nuclear facilities. On Friday, Axios reported, citing an unnamed U.S. official, that Donald Trump is prepared to compromise to reach an agreement. Axios also reported that the U.S. team is still unsure about Iran's position and 'the question we want answered by the Iranians is: Do they have the political will for serious dialogue so that we do not have to resort to alternatives?' Axios further reported that Saturday's discussions are expected to start indirectly and 'if the initial session is positive, it will likely lead to direct engagement later in the day.' The White House has not yet responded to this report. Meanwhile, the White House spokesperson warned that all options are on the table to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Caroline Levitt emphasized that 'the talks with the Iranians will be direct,' stating that the U.S. President 'believes in diplomacy and direct, face-to-face dialogue in a room.' Witkoff arrived in Oman on Saturday morning. He had met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg the day before. According to Axios, Witkoff discussed the Saturday meeting and Iran's nuclear program with Putin. The Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, also arrived in Oman on Saturday morning and met with their Omani counterpart. Majid Takht-Ravanchi, the political deputy, Kazem Gharibabadi, the international deputy, Ismail Baqaei, the spokesperson, and some experts from Iran's Foreign Ministry accompanied Araghchi on this trip. The Iran-U.S. talks are set to be held behind closed doors, with both countries providing conflicting narratives about whether they are direct or indirect. Axios reported that the U.S. team is still unsure about Iran's position and 'the question we want answered by the Iranians is: Do they have the political will for serious dialogue so that we do not have to resort to alternatives?' Witkoff's unexpected meeting with Putin occurred on his way to Oman, marking their third meeting since the beginning of Donald Trump's new presidency. Initially, it was unclear whether Witkoff would meet with Putin. According to Russian state media, the meeting lasted over four hours. The Kremlin stated that the meeting's topic was related to 'aspects of resolving Ukraine.' Hours before this meeting, Kazem Jalali, the Iranian ambassador to Moscow, told the 'Russia 24' network that in the Oman meeting, the Iranian and U.S. delegations might first agree on the framework and format of future negotiations and then discuss their objectives. Meanwhile, some Friday prayer leaders in Iran warned of the 'dangers' of negotiating with the U.S., and after Friday prayers in Tehran, a group protested holding signs saying 'Death to America.' In this protest, a resolution was read by the 'Islamic Propaganda Coordination Council,' calling for 'military action' against Israel 'anywhere in the world.' Ahmad Alamolhoda, representative of Ali Khamenei in Razavi Khorasan and Friday prayer leader in Mashhad, warned Iranian negotiators about any negotiations with the U.S., stating, 'Indirect is bad, direct is worse than indirect.' He also said that no Iranian would accept that 'all defensive tools and advanced scientific technology' be destroyed. Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, also stated in Friday prayers in Tehran that despite 'all the disturbances and pressures and monitoring,' the Islamic Republic continues its enrichment program. He added, 'They still think that with threats, intimidation, psychological operations, and foolish incidents, they can stop the nation and the country.' Meanwhile, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, the political deputy of Iran's Foreign Minister, stated, 'If the American side does not raise unrelated issues and sets aside threats and intimidation, there is a good possibility of reaching an agreement.' He added in his remarks in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, that 'any bullying and coercion is unacceptable to us.' Abbas Araghchi leads the Iranian delegation in the Oman talks, and it has been previously reported that Majid Takht-Ravanchi will accompany him. The main focus of the Iran-U.S. discussions in Oman is the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear program and Tehran's potential capability to build nuclear weapons. Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that if Iran does not agree to negotiate and does not abandon its nuclear weapons program, it will face military action. He has also emphasized that he prefers to reach an agreement with Tehran, stating last March that he had proposed dialogue by sending a letter to the leader of the Islamic Republic. Ali Khamenei stated on February 8 of last year that negotiating with Donald Trump's government 'is not wise, is not intelligent, is not honorable'; however, Iranian officials have stated that he has agreed to indirect talks with the U.S.