US and Iran hold talks in Oman as Washington urges Americans to leave Tehran

The United States and Iran held talks in Muscat, Oman, on Friday as both sides pursued diplomatic engagement on nuclear matters. The meeting marked the first round of negotiations since the US conducted strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in June.

Oman's foreign minister Badr Albusaidi held separate meetings with Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, along with Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, according to a statement from the Omani foreign ministry. The statement said the consultations focused on preparing conditions for resuming diplomatic and technical negotiations, while emphasising their importance in light of the parties' determination to ensure success in achieving sustainable security and stability.

Iranian state media reported that Araghchi and his team were expected to begin indirect talks with the US delegation shortly after the initial meetings. Photographs from outside the palace showed a convoy bearing an American flag entering the grounds after the Iranian delegation had departed.

Concurrent with the diplomatic engagement, the US State Department issued an alert urging American citizens present in Iran to leave the country immediately. The advisory recommended departure without relying on US government assistance, preferably by land through Turkey or Armenia. For those unable to depart, the State Department advised sheltering in place.

Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, appealed to the United States for "mutual respect" ahead of the talks. In a statement posted on social media, Araghchi wrote that Iran was approaching diplomacy with open eyes and a firm recollection of the preceding year. He stated that Iran was engaging in good faith and remained steadfast on its rights, adding that commitments must be honoured and that parity of rights, mutual respect, and common interests were essential.

The talks occur within the context of the Trump administration's stated approach to Iran's nuclear programme. Analysts told Al Jazeera that the administration was entering the latest round of negotiations with a list of maximalist demands, though the wider strategy remained unclear.