Khamenei allows for direct talks with US if progress made – NYT

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has given his approval for nuclear negotiations with the United States, including the possibility of direct talks if initial discussions show progress, The New York Times reported on Friday.

According to two senior Iranian officials cited by NYT, Khamenei reversed his long-standing opposition to engagement with Washington following an urgent meeting last month with the heads of Iran’s executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

“At the end of the hourslong meeting, Mr. Khamenei relented. He granted his permission for talks, first indirect, through an intermediary, and then, if things proceeded well, for direct talks between US and Iranian negotiators,” the paper reported.

The shift came amid internal warnings that failure to engage could lead to war with the United States or Israel, further economic collapse, and threats to Tehran's stability, the officials said.

Formal talks are expected to begin Saturday in Oman. While Iran has publicly maintained the talks will be indirect, US officials have signaled a willingness to meet face-to-face.

Khamenei has also outlined limits for the negotiations, including strict oversight of Iran’s missile program, which remains off the table, but openness to discussing nuclear transparency and regional issues, according to the NYT report.