US officials said Washington agreed to hold a meeting with Iran in Oman, despite deep doubts about its usefulness, in response to intense pressure from US allies in the region.
Axios quoted a US official as saying: "They asked us to keep the meeting going and listen to what the Iranians have to say. The Arabs told us we would hold the meeting if they insisted, but we are very skeptical."
Another US official added that the decision to hold the meeting came "out of respect" for the request of Washington's regional allies, and "in order to continue pursuing the diplomatic track," despite US doubts about the usefulness of the meeting.
According to Axios, plans for US-Iranian nuclear talks in Oman, scheduled for Friday, have resurfaced after several Arab and Islamic leaders exerted urgent pressure on the Trump administration on Wednesday afternoon, demanding that it not carry out previous US threats to withdraw from the negotiating track.
Two US officials explained that at least nine countries in the region sent direct messages to the highest levels of the Trump administration, strongly urging them not to cancel the anticipated meeting with the Iranian side, considering that continuing the dialogue, even at its minimum level, is better than the complete collapse of diplomatic channels.
