The talks went ahead after weeks of bellicose exchanges between the United States and the Islamic Republic.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meets with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi in Muscat, Oman, on Feb. 6, 2026. (Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/ Handout via Reuters)
President Donald Trump on Feb. 6 said Iran wants to do a deal “very badly.”
“We are in no rush,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force 1 en route to Palm Beach. “They are willing to do much more than they would have a year and a half ago. … But the results could surprise people.
Guy Birchall is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of national stories with a particular interest in freedom of expression and social issues.



