The United States and Iran have been conducting secret backchannel negotiations focused on securing the release of American hostages held in Iran and reaching an interim understanding on Tehran’s nuclear programme, according to multiple officials briefed on the discussions, a development that marks the most sustained diplomatic contact between the two governments in years.
The talks, conducted through intermediaries in Oman — which has served as a quiet diplomatic bridge between Washington and Tehran for decades — have involved senior officials below cabinet level on both sides. While far short of formal negotiations, they represent a significant shift from the near-complete breakdown in communications that followed the collapse of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal and the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020.
What the Talks Cover
People familiar with the discussions said the immediate focus is on five American citizens detained in Iran, including two with dual US-Iranian nationality who have been held for more than two years. Iran is believed to be seeking the release of several Iranians held in the United States and frozen Iranian assets held in overseas accounts as part of any deal.
A secondary track involves an informal understanding under which Iran would keep its uranium enrichment below the level needed to produce weapons-grade material in exchange for limited sanctions relief. Iran has enriched uranium to 60 percent purity, close to the 90 percent threshold for weapons use, and the US has been seeking to reverse that progress short of a full nuclear agreement.
Why Now
Both sides face pressure to reach at least a limited deal. Washington is concerned about Iranian nuclear advances and the potential for a regional miscalculation that draws the United States into direct conflict amid the ongoing Gaza war, in which Iran-backed groups have repeatedly attacked American and allied forces. Tehran, meanwhile, faces mounting economic pressure from sanctions compounded by mismanagement, with the rial having lost more than 90 percent of its value since 2018.
“Neither side wants a war right now, and both sides understand that the alternative to dialogue is escalation,” said a former US official with knowledge of past Iran negotiations.
Obstacles Remain Large
Deep mistrust on both sides makes a comprehensive agreement unlikely in the near term. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, publicly opposes engagement with Washington, making any deal politically delicate for Iranian negotiators. The US Congress remains deeply sceptical of any arrangement that provides Iran economic relief while Tehran continues to support Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthi forces.
Israel, which views Iran’s nuclear programme as an existential threat, has been briefed on the discussions and is reported to have expressed concern that any interim deal could constrain Israeli military options against Iranian nuclear sites.
What Happens Next
Oman is expected to host another round of indirect talks within weeks. A hostage deal, if reached, would be announced first and separately from any nuclear understanding, to avoid the political complications of linking the two issues. The outcome of the US presidential election has also introduced uncertainty: a new administration with a different posture toward Iran could accelerate, freeze, or reverse whatever progress is made before January.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the US use backchannels rather than direct talks with Iran?
The US and Iran have no formal diplomatic relations since the 1979 revolution and embassy hostage crisis. Direct government-to-government talks are politically toxic for both sides domestically, so intermediaries like Oman allow each government to engage while maintaining public deniability.
What happened to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal?
The JCPOA capped Iran’s uranium enrichment and allowed inspections in exchange for sanctions relief. The US withdrew in 2018 under President Trump, reimposing maximum pressure sanctions. Iran gradually abandoned its limits in response, and an attempt to revive the deal under President Biden stalled in 2022.
Source: Reuters / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal
