{"id":273161,"date":"2026-02-04T07:35:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T07:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/273161\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T07:35:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T07:35:14","slug":"witkoff-meets-israeli-officials-before-iran-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/273161\/","title":{"rendered":"Witkoff meets Israeli officials before Iran talks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Washington has accepted Tehran\u2019s request to relocate planned nuclear talks, with negotiations now expected to take place in Oman on Friday (6 Februrary), Axios reported. <\/p>\n

The talks had been scheduled for Friday in Istanbul, but Tehran pushed for both a change in venue and a narrower agenda, sources told Reuters. <\/p>\n


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Axios reported that the Trump administration accepted the request, with Oman selected as the new location for the discussions.<\/p>\n


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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (3 February) that Washington is \u201cnegotiating with Iran right now,\u201d after Tehran demanded the talks be moved from T\u00fcrkiye to Oman and narrowed to focus solely on Iran\u2019s nuclear programme. <\/p>\n


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Trump offered no further details but suggested Iran was seeking to avoid renewed military confrontation.<\/p>\n


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\u201cThey had a chance to do something a while ago, and it didn\u2019t work out,\u201d Trump said, referring to a previous U.S. operation.<\/p>\n


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\u201cI don\u2019t think they want that happening again, but they would like to negotiate,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n


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His remarks came after a U.S. fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea after it approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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A regional diplomat familiar with Iran\u2019s position said Tehran wants to change both the format and scope of the talks, limiting discussions to the nuclear file. The United States\u00a0wants to broaden negotiations to include Iran\u2019s ballistic missile programme and its support for regional proxy groups.<\/p>\n


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However, a Reuters source said Tehran now wants only bilateral talks with the United States, rejecting participation by other regional countries previously expected to attend, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n


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Military incidents add to pressure<\/p>\n

Diplomatic efforts have unfolded against the backdrop of heightened military activity. On Tuesday (3 February), authorities say a U.S. F-35 fighter jet shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone after it approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.<\/p>\n


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The U.S. military said the drone was flying \u201cwith unclear intent\u201d and was intercepted in self-defence. No U.S. personnel were harmed.<\/p>\n


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Iran\u2019s Tasnim news agency said contact had been lost with a drone in international waters but did not specify the cause.<\/p>\n


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In a separate incident in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command said Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) harassed a U.S.-flagged tanker, with two IRGC boats and an Iranian drone approaching at high speed and threatening to board the vessel.<\/p>\n


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The tanker avoided interception by accelerating and continuing its voyage.<\/p>\n


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Talks still planned<\/p>\n


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Despite the rising military tensions, Iran said preparations for talks with the United States were continuing. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday (3 February) that negotiations were planned for the \u201cnext few days,\u201d with the venue to be announced once finalised, according to IRNA.<\/p>\n


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Baghaei said consultations were under way to determine the location of the talks, adding that both T\u00fcrkiye, Oman and other regional states had expressed readiness to host the negotiations.<\/p>\n


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\u201cIn principle, the location and date of the negotiations are not a complicated issue and should not be a tool for media games,\u201d he said, thanking friendly countries for helping facilitate the diplomatic process.<\/p>\n


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Regional concerns and diplomatic push<\/p>\n


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The U.S. naval buildup follows Iran\u2019s violent crackdown on anti-government protests last month. Regional officials say the primary goal of the current diplomatic effort is to avoid escalation and prevent conflict.<\/p>\n


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Iranian officials are increasingly concerned that a U.S. strike could destabilise the country further by driving public anger back onto the streets, according to several current and former Iranian officials.<\/p>\n


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Gulf Arab states have warned they could be drawn into any conflict, fearing Iran may target U.S. bases on their territory if tensions escalate. The United Arab Emirates has publicly urged negotiations, saying the region cannot afford another war.<\/p>\n


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Preparations for talks<\/p>\n

Iranian officials say sanctions relief must be part of any agreement, while U.S. demands reportedly include zero uranium enrichment, limits on ballistic missiles and restrictions on Iran\u2019s regional networks.<\/p>\n


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Tehran has rejected those conditions but has indicated limited flexibility, including the possible transfer of enriched uranium under a controlled arrangement.<\/p>\n

Tags<\/p>\n

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