Iran says next Saturday talks will be in Oman, denying report of Europe venue
The next round of negotiations between Iran and the United States will be held next Saturday and hosted by Oman, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei.
Baghaei's statement on Sunday contradicts a CNN report citing White House sources who said the next meeting was expected to take place in Europe next week.
A front-page editorial in Iran's Hamshahri newspaper on April 13 read "Iran's will shown to the world in negotiations" and carried the sub-headline "Message of authority from Muscat."
A day after talks between Iranian and American officials in Oman, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei told military commanders that Iran’s armed forces must maintain maximum readiness to confront hostile pressure.
“What makes them hostile is not the name of the Islamic Republic, but the resolve of a Muslim and independent nation that refuses to rely on others for its dignity,” Khamenei said.
He called for ongoing upgrades in capacity—including weapons, logistics, and personnel welfare—alongside a parallel emphasis on ideological commitment.
Khamenei told military officers that foreign actors were actively working to undermine belief in the legitimacy of the armed forces’ mission.
“Armies that lack conviction, courage, and trust in their cause have collapsed, no matter how heavily equipped they were,” Khamenei added, accusing Western powers of hypocrisy for opposing Iran’s military development while holding massive arsenals of their own.
He acknowledged economic weaknesses but warned against allowing them to overshadow what he called advances in both physical preparedness and national morale.
Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri also echoed the call for readiness, referring to Iran’s weapons production, joint exercises, and cooperation between military branches. He praised Iran’s role in supporting Gaza and Lebanon and said public backing remained strong.
“The armed forces are fully prepared, and the enemy will fail to achieve its goals,” Bagheri said.
The comments follow recent threats by US officials, including president Donald Trump over Iran’s nuclear activities and regional support for proxies.
After Trump’s threats of a military strike, Tehran agreed to indirect talks, despite a previous refusal by Khamenei.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday emphasized the need for the country's armed forces to maintain maximum readiness and enhance both their hardware and software capabilities, saying Iran's advancements have angered its adversaries.
In a meeting with senior military commanders and officials on the occasion of the new Iranian year, Khamenei described the armed forces as the nation's shield and refuge against any aggressor.
He stressed the importance of continuous efforts to strengthen preparedness and improve both military equipment and the spiritual and ideological commitment of personnel.
He added that it is Iran's desire to be Muslim, independent, and self-reliant that provokes the anger of its enemies, not merely its name.
The mother of Siavash Mahmoudi, a teenage protester killed during the "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising, has voiced her criticism of the ongoing indirect talks between Iran and the United States, questioning their significance in light of the sacrifices made by those demanding justice and freedom.
Speaking about the negotiations, the grieving mother said, "Thousands of young men and women were killed for shouting for justice, freedom, and liberty, and now we sit and see if the negotiation is direct or indirect?"
The visit of Steve Witkoff to Tehran could recalibrate how both he and Donald Trump perceive Iran, said Abolfazl Zohrevand, a member of Iran’s parliamentary national security committee.
“If Witkoff visits Iran and sees the reality for himself, it may reset his mindset—and through him, Trump’s—for more rational decision-making on how to deal with Iran,” he said.
Zohrevand called the visit beneficial to Iran’s national interests if it aligns with a constructive negotiation path.
He dismissed prospects of future US investment in Iran as unrealistic while stressing that the priority is correcting what he called Washington’s miscalculations about Iran.
A veiled Iranian woman holds a newspaper featuring portraits of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff, White House special envoy, while she shows her protest against Iran and US negotiations in downtown Tehran, Iran, on April 9, 2025.
The government’s decision to resume nuclear talks contradicts Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s past warnings, Iranian hardline lawmaker Amirhossein Sabeti said.
“We don’t know what changed after Khamenei clearly said negotiations were neither wise nor honorable,” Sabeti said on Sunday.
He added that while the government could pursue talks to lift sanctions, “experience shows this path will not succeed, and the United States won’t give in.”
Khamenei had previously called negotiations with US “unwise, undignified, and dishonorable.” However, he later agreed to indirect negotiations.
