Kremlin declines to say if Russia would take Iran’s uranium

Iran's Supreme Leader has expressed a mix of cautious optimism and profound skepticism regarding the ongoing talks with the United States, dismissing the talks as only one of Foreign Ministry’s dozens of tasks.

"We are neither extremely optimistic nor extremely pessimistic about these talks," he said, adding however that “we are very pessimistic about the other side, but we are optimistic about our own capabilities."

Khamenei added, "Ultimately, it is a task and a move that has been decided upon, and the initial steps have been implemented well.”

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During a meeting with a group of senior officials, Ali Khamenei emphasized the need to avoid tying the country's issues to the outcome of these negotiations.

"We are neither extremely optimistic nor extremely pessimistic about these talks," he said, adding however that “we are very pessimistic about the other side, but we are optimistic about our own capabilities."

Khamenei added, "Ultimately, it is a task and a move that has been decided upon, and the initial steps have been implemented well.”

"We must avoid linking the country's issues to these discussions, repeating the mistake of the JCPOA where national progress was made dependent on the negotiation's advancement. Such an approach creates a conditional environment, stalling everything until the talks' results are known," the Supreme Leader said in a reference to the 2015 agreement.

Khamenei's carefully balanced comments suggest a pragmatic approach to the dialogue, acknowledging the necessity of exploring diplomatic avenues while maintaining deep reservations about the intentions of the American side.

As Tehran and Washington gear up for the next nuclear talks on April 19, a sense of cautious optimism appears to be growing among Iranian officials and many public figures,apparently stemming from a perceived shift in Khamenei’s stance, evidenced by his greenlight of Muscat negotiations.

The influence of ultra-hardline opponents of US engagement, such as former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and the Steadfastness Front (Paydari Party), appears to be diminishing amid internal divisions.

Resistance to negotiations among hardliners has softened because outright opposition risks being seen as defiance of Khamenei’s authority.

Iran's ambassador to Oman denied reports that a senior Iranian diplomat pocketed a gold pen belonging to the Omani hosts during the talks in Muscat.

Reports circulating online had alleged that Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi took a gold-plated pen from the negotiation venue.

Iranian Ambassador Mousa Farhang dismissed the allegations as lies, saying in an interview with Tasnim news agency that there were neither tables nor gold-plated pens in the arrangement of the meeting rooms.

The controversy began with rumors spreading on Telegram that Gharibabadi had mistakenly put a gold pen, provided by the host nation according to protocol, in his pocket.

This led to a fabricated report attributed to the Times of Oman newspaper, saying that Ambassador Farhang had sent a letter to the Omani Foreign Ministry demanding an apology for local media's "marginalization" of an unintentional error by an Iranian negotiator.

Ambassador Farhang told Tasnim that the "lie published by a Telegram channel affiliated with the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) terrorist group regarding Gharibabadi is the height of foolishness."

Reports had suggested the gold-plated pen was worth around $14,000, that Gharibabadi was recorded on CCTV, and that he returned it via the Iranian embassy in Oman.

A second US aircraft carrier has entered Middle East waters ahead of the next round of nuclear talks with Iran, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday, citing satellite imagery.

The USS Carl Vinson was spotted Monday in the Arabian Sea northeast of Socotra, an island off Yemen, according to photos from the European Union's Copernicus program. The carrier is accompanied by the USS Princeton and two guided missile destroyers, the USS Sterett and the USS William P. Lawrence.

The Navy has not publicly confirmed details of the Vinson’s mission, but video released in recent days showed it launching F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets and preparing ordnance.

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton voiced concerns about the ongoing nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran, warning that the United States risks getting caught in another cycle of endless negotiations with Iran.

“I think there are two paths here. One is that we get caught in an endless loop of negotiations yet again, or the other is this is kind of an ultimatum to Iran. Either you make a strategic decision that you're prepared to give up nuclear weapons and prove it palpably immediately, or we or the Israelis are going to take military action against the program. I'm worried that they've picked the first path,” Bolton said in an interview with CNBC.

Bolton expressed deep skepticism about the ongoing talks, particularly concerning the role of US envoy Steve Witkoff, saying that his background and expertise are not suited for such a sensitive and complex issue.

“He knows nothing about Iran. He knows nothing about nuclear weapons. He knows nothing about international arms control agreements. He knows nothing about verification and compliance of those agreements,” Bolton said.