UN nuclear chief says in contact with US to support progress in Iran talks

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Oman, as the host of the talks between Tehran and Washington, will determine the location of the next round scheduled for Saturday.

“Oman is the host of these talks, and it’s up to the host to define the venue,” Araghchi told reporters. “We are still waiting for our Omani colleagues and my counterpart, the Omani foreign minister, to let us know exactly where we need to go for the continuation of our talks.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran continues to maintain close consultations with Russia on nuclear issues, upon arriving in Moscow on Thursday.

“We have always consulted closely with our Russian friends on nuclear matters,” Araghchi said, according to Iranian media. “We’ve coordinated our positions both in the past and now with Russia and China.”

Araghchi noted that the trip, originally planned to deliver a written message from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to Russian President Vladimir Putin, coincided with recent developments including talks with the United States.

He said discussions with Russian officials would also cover bilateral economic and political projects, as well as regional issues such as Israel, threats in West Asia, and the war in Ukraine.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi visited Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization on Thursday, where he toured an exhibition showcasing the country’s latest nuclear achievements, Iranian media reported.

Grossi was briefed on recent developments in fuel cycle technology, nuclear power, heavy water production, radiopharmaceuticals, plasma and quantum technologies, fusion, lasers, agricultural applications, and industrial accelerators.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Thursday that he had called for a strike on Iran’s oil infrastructure last October, arguing it would cripple the country’s economy and lead to the downfall of its government.

“Eliminating Iran’s oil industry would destroy its economy and eventually topple the regime,” Lapid wrote on X. “Netanyahu was afraid and stopped it.”

The comment came in response to a New York Times report that US President Donald Trump had rejected Israeli proposals to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, opting instead to pursue diplomatic talks with Tehran.

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Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman is scheduled to visit Iran on Thursday at the head of a senior military delegation, Iranian media reported.

He will travel to Tehran at the invitation of Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, and is expected to hold meetings with top political and security officials.

Talks will focus on "expanding defense cooperation, promoting regional peace and stability, and joint efforts to combat terrorism", according to the report.

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