Tehran. The recent talks between representatives of the US and Iran in Oman have created a new stir in global diplomacy. Although this meeting is being considered as a good start, the ground reality is that instead of reducing, the gap of differences between the two countries seems to be deepening. Iran has made it clear that it is not going to bow down to any international pressure. Tehran has clarified its position saying that it is ready to discuss only the nuclear issue and completely keeps topics like missile program or support to regional factions out of the negotiating table.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a strong tone that uranium enrichment is Iran’s inalienable right and this process will not stop at any cost. He gave a direct warning to America and said that if there is any kind of attack on Iranian soil, then all the American military bases present in the Middle East will be the target of Iran’s missiles. Araghchi described the Oman talks as positive and acknowledged the courtesy call on the US delegation, but added that there is still a long way to go to restore trust. Iran believes that a solution can only come through respectful negotiations, not through sanctions or threats. On the other hand, America has adopted a policy of double game in this matter. While on one hand the talks are being said to be successful, on the other hand President Donald Trump has further tightened the economic stranglehold on Iran by issuing a new executive order. Under this order, heavy tariffs have been imposed on countries doing business with Iran and new sanctions have been imposed on dozens of ships and companies involved in Iran’s oil exports. As part of the Trump administration’s policy of peace based on strength, US Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner recently demonstrated their military preparedness by visiting the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln deployed in the Arabian Sea. Israel’s concerns are at their peak amid this diplomatic tug of war. Israel wants America to take a tough stance not only on the nuclear program but also on Iran’s ballistic missile network and the support it provides to groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to postpone his scheduled visit to Washington after Iran refused to talk on these issues. Netanyahu will meet with President Trump next week, where he will also be accompanied by Brigadier General Omer Tischler, the future chief of the Israeli Air Force. This indicates that Israel can now put pressure on the US for a major military option or extremely harsh sanctions against Iran. At the moment, there is not much enthusiasm about this conversation among the common people on the streets of Tehran. Local residents believe that as long as both sides remain adamant on their respective conditions, it will be impossible to reach any concrete conclusion. Between the insistence on nuclear enrichment on one side and a mountain of sanctions on the other, the future of the Middle East once again seems surrounded by uncertainty and clouds of war.
