US Draws a Hard Line Ahead of Crucial Iran Talks: “No Progress, No Continuation”
Wafric News – May 9, 2025
Washington, D.C. — The United States has delivered a blunt message ahead of this Sunday’s high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran: no progress, no continuation.
Washington, D.C. — The United States has delivered a blunt message ahead of this Sunday’s high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran: no progress, no continuation.
Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy for Iran, made it clear in an interview published Friday that Washington is prepared to walk away from the negotiating table if Iran doesn't come ready to commit.
“If Sunday’s talks aren’t productive, then they won’t continue and we’ll have to take a different route,” Witkoff said, signaling the toughest US stance in months.
Talks between the two long-standing rivals are set to take place in Oman, but unlike previous rounds, this meeting will be limited to high-level officials, with no technical teams in attendance — a sign that the discussion is expected to focus on strategic direction rather than specific deal mechanics.
“It was appropriate to have the next round at the principals level,” a source told CNN, confirming that the granular negotiations on sanctions and nuclear compliance will wait — for now.
According to multiple diplomatic sources, Sunday’s dialogue will include both direct and indirect communication, with Washington seeking to test Tehran’s willingness to engage seriously.
In what is arguably his clearest message yet, Witkoff outlined the US red line: a total and permanent end to Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
“No enrichment. That means dismantlement. It means no weaponization. Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan — those facilities must be shut down,” Witkoff emphasized.
Tehran isn’t buying it.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, expected to meet Witkoff at the Oman talks, reiterated last week that Iran’s right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, expected to meet Witkoff at the Oman talks, reiterated last week that Iran’s right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable.
“Iran has every right to possess the full nuclear fuel cycle,” Araghchi declared on X, adding fuel to already intense diplomatic friction.
Despite the confrontational tone, Witkoff hinted at carrots as well as sticks — suggesting that Iran could be reintegrated into the global system if it abandons its nuclear ambitions.
“We’re saying to Iran: You can be a better nation. We can do business with you. But you can’t be a provocateur,” he said, echoing diplomatic overtures made to Russia over Ukraine.
For now, the talks are being kept strictly nuclear-focused, a departure from previous US strategies that sought to tackle Iran’s broader regional role — including its support for armed groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.
“We do think they should stop enabling hostile actors, but that’s a secondary discussion,” Witkoff admitted. “The nuclear threat is existential. That has to be solved first, and solved quickly.”
As global tensions rise from the Middle East to Eastern Europe, all eyes turn to Muscat this weekend, where what happens behind closed doors could reshape the regional security landscape — and determine whether diplomacy survives another day.
By WafricNews Desk.
By WafricNews Desk.
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