A top Iranian security official was spotted in Oman just days after Tehran and the U.S. held indirect nuclear talks in the Middle Eastern sultanate.
Ali Larijani—former speaker of Iran’s parliament and current secretary of the country’s Supreme National Security Council—was likely in Oman to discuss next steps following the initial round of talks, The Associated Press (AP) reported. The outlet noted that Larijani’s team released photos of him with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, the lead intermediary in U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Iranian media initially reported that Larijani would deliver a key message, but state television later stated that al-Busaidi had “handed over a letter” to the Iranian official—without specifying the letter’s origin—per the AP.
During his stay in Oman, Larijani also met with Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq for nearly three hours, the AP reported, citing Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. The outlet further noted that Larijani was scheduled to travel to Qatar—home to the U.S. military base that bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities in 2025.
Larijani accused Israel of playing a “destructive role” in the talks, just ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s anticipated trip to Washington, D.C.
“Netanyahu is currently en route to the United States. Americans must think carefully and not let him, through posturing, suggest before his flight that ‘I want to go and instruct Americans on the framework of nuclear negotiations.’ They must stay vigilant to the Zionists’ destructive role,” Larijani stated.
Israel and Iran engaged in a 12-day war in summer 2025 that ended with the U.S. bombing Tehran’s nuclear facilities. Iran—currently facing large-scale anti-government protests—has blamed Israel and the U.S. for multiple grievances.
U.S. and Iranian officials have both stated that the first round of talks proceeded smoothly and indicated they would continue.
“The Muscat meeting was not lengthy—it lasted half a day. For us, it was a means to gauge the other side’s seriousness and determine how to move the process forward. Thus, we primarily discussed general matters,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told a Tuesday news conference in Tehran, per the AP.
“Our principles are unambiguous. Our goal is to safeguard the Iranian nation’s interests in line with international norms, the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy,” Baghaei stated, per the AP. “As for the details, we should await subsequent steps and observe how this diplomatic process unfolds.”
Iranian negotiator Abbas Araghchi noted that the indirect nuclear talks with the U.S. in Oman were “a good start” and that there was a “consensus” on moving the process forward.
“After a lengthy period of no dialogue, we communicated our perspectives and voiced our concerns. Our interests, the Iranian people’s rights, and all necessary points were presented in a highly positive atmosphere, and we also listened to the other side’s views,” Araghchi explained.
“It was a promising start, but its continuation hinges on consultations in our respective capitals and determining the next steps forward,” he added.
U.S. President Donald Trump also expressed optimism about the indirect talks, telling reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday that “Iran seems to want a deal very badly. We’ll have to see what that deal entails.”
When pressed on how long the U.S. would be willing to wait to strike a deal with Iran, the president showed some flexibility, stating he believes the two countries can reach an agreement.
“A deal is achievable. We just need to get in the right position. We have ample time. If you recall Venezuela, we waited for some time, and we’re not in a hurry. We’ve had very productive talks with Iran,” Trump said.
“They are aware of the consequences if they don’t reach a deal—those consequences are severe. So, we’ll see how things unfold. But they held a very productive meeting with a senior Iranian representative,” the president added.
U.S. and Iranian representatives held separate meetings with Omani officials on Friday amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. Oman’s Foreign Ministry stated that the meetings were “aimed at creating the right conditions to resume diplomatic and technical negotiations.”