US says talks with Iran 'very positive'

Washington, April 13 (IANS) The White House on Saturday said the first round of talks with Iranians, which took place in Muscat, Oman, were “very positive and constructive”.

US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Muscat which were hosted by Omani Foreign Minister Said Badr.

These were talks between the Trump-led US and Iran, and marked an end of an impasse hit in relation in 2018 when President Trump walked out of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JAPOA), signed by US under President Barack Obama and remaining member of the UN Security Council ’s permanent members — the UK, France, Russia and China and German, on one side and Iran on the other.

The next round of talks are scheduled for next Saturday.

"The discussions were very positive and constructive, and the United States deeply thanks the Sultanate of Oman for its support of this initiative,” the White House said in a statement, adding: "Special Envoy Witkoff underscored to Dr. Araghchi that he had instructions from President Trump to resolve our two nations’ differences through dialogue and diplomacy, if that is possible. These issues are very complicated, and Special Envoy Witkoff’s direct communication today was a step forward in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. The sides agreed to meet again next Saturday."

According to reports, the Iran’s state-run broadcaster reported that Witkoff and Araghchi “briefly spoke” together, the first such contact between the two countries at this level.

President Trump has expressed optimism he will be able to make a deal with Iran saying Friday that he wants to see Iran prosper but that he was committed to not allowing it to acquire nuclear weapons.

“I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country, but they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on the way to Florida.

--IANS

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