Iranian Foreign Minister Alireza Araghchi announced via social media on the 4th that Iran and the United States are scheduled to hold negotiations concerning nuclear issues in Muscat, Oman, on the 6th. According to a Reuters report, a key current disagreement is that Iran insists the talks should be confined to nuclear matters, while US Secretary of State Rubio has stated that the negotiations must also address Iran's ballistic missile program.
A senior Iranian official indicated that Iran's missile program is "not on the table." Another high-ranking Iranian official mentioned that while Iran welcomes discussions focused on the nuclear dispute, the US insistence on including non-nuclear issues could jeopardize the negotiations.
Two Iranian officials informed Reuters that, from Iran's perspective, imposing restrictions on the ballistic missile program presents a greater obstacle in the talks than issues related to uranium enrichment. One Iranian official emphasized that negotiations should not be burdened with preconditions, noting that Iran is willing to show flexibility on uranium enrichment, ensuring it is used for peaceful development rather than military purposes.
The United States has presented three core demands to Iran regarding its nuclear program: Iran must not produce nuclear weapons, must not enrich uranium, and must not possess enriched uranium. Iran has consistently asserted that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons but maintains that its right to peaceful nuclear energy is non-negotiable.
In a related development, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported on the 4th that Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, during an inspection of an underground missile base within Iran, declared that comprehensive technological upgrades to Iran's ballistic missiles have significantly strengthened its deterrence capabilities.
General Bagheri stated, "We are prepared to counter any action by the enemy." He also noted that following the "12-Day War" between Israel and Iran, Iran's military doctrine has shifted from a defensive posture to an offensive one, promising devastating responses to adversaries.
Recently, the United States has intensified military threats against Iran, deploying additional forces to the region and urging Iran to swiftly engage in negotiations and reach an agreement.
In June 2025, Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on multiple locations within Iran. In retaliation, Iran conducted several rounds of missile and drone attacks on targets inside Israel. During the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict, US forces bombed Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran responded by launching missile strikes on the US military's Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.