The upcoming U.S.-Iran nuclear talks are now expected to be held in Oman on Friday, after the Trump administration agreed to Tehran’s request to move the venue from Turkey, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing an Arab source familiar with the discussions.

The source told reporter Barak Ravid that there are ongoing negotiations about whether Arab and Muslim regional countries will join the talks in the Gulf state, with the White House declining to comment.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that he had instructed Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to pursue talks proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Axios reported on Monday that White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Araghchi were expected to meet on Friday in Istanbul to discuss a possible nuclear agreement, with the foreign ministers of Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan also expected to take part.

Ravid reported on Tuesday, citing two sources with knowledge of the talks, that the Iranian regime now wants to hold only bilateral talks with the United States, without Arab and Muslim representatives as observers because, according to one source, the Iranians only want to discuss the nuclear file and not other topics such as the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile program and support for Middle Eastern terrorist proxies.

Saudi source: Talks meant to ‘buy time’

Amid preparations for the talks, a source in the Saudi royal family told Israel’s Channel 12 News that Riyadh views the negotiations as largely a bid to “buy time” and is taking part at Trump’s request.

The source said Saudi Arabia has set a clear red line that if Iran acquires nuclear weapons, the kingdom will seek a matching capability, while publicly stressing it will remain neutral in any U.S.-Iran military conflict.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan is expected to attend as part of a Saudi diplomatic and security delegation, the source added, while emphasizing that Riyadh’s primary goal is regional stability.

The source predicted that in the event of an American attack on the Iranian regime, “I do not expect Iran to strike areas outside of American military bases in the Gulf states. And if such a thing were to happen, the damage, if any, would be limited to the Gulf states.”

The Saudis are closely watching the White House’s moves, with the source saying that Trump is “hesitating” and that “he wants to pressure Iran into a new agreement and doesn’t want war, because he knows its economic consequences. Therefore, he wanted us to act as mediators between him and Iran. Tehran is aware of this and is patient in the negotiations.”

“To be fair, they’re convincing Trump, so he’s about to make a decision and then changes his mind when the Iranian negotiator convinces him through the mediators,” he continued.

“Our message to Trump is: If you want to overthrow the regime in Tehran, don’t repeat what happened in Iraq. You brought something worse than Saddam, and the Shah’s son will not be accepted by the Iranian public. If you can’t do that, at least prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities and developing its missile capabilities. That’s the least you can do,” the source in the Saudi royal house concluded.

It would be the sixth round of nuclear negotiations during Trump’s second term, with the first round on April 12, 2025, in Muscat, Oman. The last round of indirect nuclear negotiations took place in Rome on May 23, 2025.

Iranian military carries out ‘very aggressive’ actions

Friday’s expected nuclear talks come as a potential military confrontation between the U.S. and Iran keeps the region on a razor’s edge as Trump builds up American forces in the region and continues to explore options following last month’s deadly crackdown by the regime on Iranian protesters.

The Iranian military carried out two “very aggressive” actions toward U.S. vessels in the Gulf on Tuesday, a U.S. official told Axios, heightening tensions just days before planned nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran.

In the first encounter, Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats attempted to board a U.S.-flagged commercial ship near the Strait of Hormuz but withdrew before a Navy destroyer arrived to escort the vessel with Air Force support. No shots were fired, according to the report.

Hours later, an Iranian drone with “unclear intent” approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and was downed by an F-35 fighter jet, U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said.

“Continued Iranian harassment and threats in international waters and airspace will not be tolerated,” Hawkins said in a statement, warning that such actions increase the risk of “collision, miscalculation, and regional destabilization.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Witkoff had been briefed on the incidents, along with new Iranian demands to alter the venue and format of the latest round of nuclear negotiations.

Despite the flare-up, she said the talks remain scheduled for later this week. “It takes two to tango,” Leavitt said, adding that Trump remains committed to diplomacy while keeping “all options on the table.”

Netanyahu wary as Iranian regime presses for leverage

Iran’s foreign ministry said negotiations over location were continuing, telling state media the venue “should not be used as fodder for media games,” according to Axios.

As part of the diplomatic overtures, Araghchi held calls Tuesday with his Omani and Turkish counterparts and Qatar’s prime minister.

In Israel, Witkoff met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was joined by senior defense and intelligence chiefs for talks focused on Iran.

Netanyahu cautioned against trusting Iranian promises in his meeting with Witkoff, warning the special envoy to the Middle East that “Iran has proven time and time again that its promises cannot be trusted,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Senate Republicans signaled their backing for Trump’s stance, writing on X that they “stand behind the President,” calling Iran responsible for “atrocities against its own people” and for having “American blood on its hands,” and warning that “the Ayatollah should heed President Trump’s warnings,” the Senate GOP conference posted early Wednesday.

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