Khamenei: Iran 'neither optimistic nor pessimistic' on US nuclear talks

Red lines are clear on both sides of the talks, Iran's supreme leader says

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has welcomed initial steps taken in Oman towards re-establishing a nuclear deal with the United States.

In a statement, Mr Khamenei said the talks must be "pursued carefully", adding that the red lines for both sides are clear, without elaborating. Although Mr Khamenei called the indirect negotiations "good", he also said he is "neither optimistic or pessimistic".

A first round of indirect talks took place in Muscat last weekend, with a second round planned soon. Before departing for Oman, US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff told The Wall Street Journal that Washington is open to "compromise".

Shortly after the two-and-a-half hour initial talks concluded in Muscat, the White House released a statement calling them "positive and constructive", but acknowledged the presence of "complicated" sticking points. It said the issues that need to be resolved “are very complicated”.

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The two sides agreed to meet again on Saturday. There were mixed reports about the location of the next meeting, with Rome being mentioned as a possibility, but in a statement on Tuesday Iran clarified that they will again be held in Muscat.

Ahead of the possible return of sanctions on Iran when "termination day" of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is reached in October, Mr Khamenei called for the improvement of domestic trade. "If we effectively use our domestic capacities, we can make the country invulnerable to sanctions. Then if sanctions are imposed, the country can completely get itself out of any difficulty," he added.

US President Donald Trump, who unilaterally took the US out of the 2015 deal, gave Iran two months to reach an agreement or risk military action. The US said it wants to dismantle Iran's nuclear programme entirely.

A day after the first round of talks in Oman, Mr Trump said he expected a decision about the deal to be made "very quickly". The US has not confirmed whether the talks are set to take place in Muscat as stated by Iran, nor if they will be direct or via Oman as a mediator.