Omani, Iranian FMs meet in Geneva ahead of US-Iran talks

Omani and Iranian top diplomats met in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday to finalize preparations for a second round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington, amid high tension in the Gulf and the Middle East, reported Xinhua.

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi and Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi coordinated logistics for Tuesday's session, the state-run Oman News Agency reported. The meeting follows high-level talks in Muscat on Feb. 6, the first engagement between Tehran and Washington since the U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025.

According to Omani media, both sides "stressed the importance of steering the situation toward understanding and consensus" to reach an agreement addressing the "goals and aspirations" of both countries.

U.S. presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to lead the U.S. delegation in Geneva, according to U.S. media reports. Araghchi, a veteran negotiator involved in the 2015 nuclear accord, will continue to lead the Iranian team.

Muscat has long served as a key backchannel for U.S.-Iran relations, facilitating prisoner swaps and de-escalation agreements when formal ties were severed. Tuesday's talks are expected to focus on regional maritime security and a potential framework for sanctions relief in exchange for nuclear concessions, amid decades of entrenched mistrust between the two capitals.