Iraq welcomes Iran–US talks in Oman, hopes for regional stability – INA

The next court session is scheduled for Friday, May 16.

Nandito Badea, 20, and George Stana, 24, appeared via video link and used a translator to address the court. Both are being held in Belmarsh, a high-security prison in southeast London.

The pair were arrested in Romania in connection with the stabbing of Zeraati and extradited to the United Kingdom under an existing agreement between the two countries.

An indictment was issued against them following a review of evidence from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command. The charges include causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Zeraati was attacked on March 29 outside his residence in Wimbledon, south London, and sustained injuries to his leg. He was discharged from hospital two days later. The motive for the attack remains undetermined, but the case is being handled by counterterrorism investigators given previous threats to journalists at Iran International.

In October, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Iranian government uses criminal groups to target individuals in Western countries.

The Iranian government has denied any involvement in the attack.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran is aiming for a balanced outcome in its indirect talks with the United States.

“Our intention is to reach a fair and dignified agreement from an equal footing,” Araghchi told reporters in Muscat.

He added that progress depends on the approach of the US delegation, which is being led by President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

“If the other side has entered with the same mindset, there is a chance for an initial understanding that could lead to a negotiation path,” Araghchi said.

The foreign minister also said the parties could agree on the structure of talks if there is enough political will. “If there is sufficient will, we can decide on a timeline for negotiations,” Araghchi noted.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Omani counterpart Badr al-Busaidi in Muscat on Saturday, before the start of talks with the United States, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said.

Araghchi, who is leading Iran’s delegation, praised Oman’s regional role and thanked it for hosting the talks. “Hosting the indirect Iran-US talks is a sign of [Oman’s] responsible approach to regional issues,” he said, according to the Iran's Foreign Ministry statement.

The ministry said Araghchi shared Tehran’s negotiating positions with al-Busaidi, who is expected to relay them to the American side. Al-Busaidi, for his part, described the Iran-Oman relationship as “excellent” and thanked Iran for choosing Muscat as the venue.

In the final moments before negotiations with the United States begin in Oman, Iranian hardline media is urging Tehran to stand firm against Donald Trump, push for the full lifting of sanctions, and highlight divisions within the White House.

Full details here.

Nour News, affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, published a series of articles on Saturday. In one analysis, the outlet warned that Trump would exploit any sign of weakness during the talks and advised Iranian negotiators to remain resolute.

“One effective strategy in dealing with Trump is to avoid giving in to his unreasonable demands,” the piece argued. “If he senses that the other side lacks the will to resist, he is likely to increase the pressure.” The outlet stressed that Iran must avoid making concessions.

Nour News also claimed that Trump’s foreign policy is not guided by US national interests but by his personal ambition to be feared and short-term tactical gains rooted in his self-interest.

In another article, the site said Trump’s team is divided between those open to negotiations and “warmongers” pushing for military confrontation. It claimed that Israel is using its influence to support the pro-war camp within Washington.

Kayhan, an ultra-hardline newspaper closely aligned with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s office, wrote in an editorial that Tehran should only engage in serious negotiations if all US sanctions are lifted.

The paper predicted that the talks would fail, asserting that Iran would emerge with another example to showcase America’s untrustworthiness to global public opinion. “From this perspective,” Kayhan wrote, “Saturday’s indirect talks with the US can already be counted as ‘one-nil in favor of the Islamic Republic.’”

Javan, a newspaper affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, argued that the United States is in historic decline and that Trump is trying to mask this weakness through personal branding.

“His insistence on humiliating the leaders of other countries is also tied to this same issue: he has no hope for a long-term and reliable resolution to America’s challenges and is merely seeking temporary fixes,” the paper said. It added that Trump knows he cannot overpower Iran and is only seeking a deal to claim a symbolic victory.

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