Indirect US-Iran negotiations...
...and direct Turkey-Israel talks.
Today indirect negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and potential sanction relief took place in Muscat (Oman) between the delegations of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Steve Witkoff, US President Donald J. Trump’s envoy for the Middle East. The two delegations stayed in two separate rooms, with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi serving as intermediary. Very little has transpired so far, however, as reported by Al Mayadeen and IRNA (Islamic Republic News Agency), this was just the first round of talks and another round of negotiations will be held next week, though the exact timetable is not known yet. Generally speaking, we can say that this is a good sign; it would have been much worse if the two parties had decided not to meet again - it could have been a signal of divergent views and the presage of an impending war! Instead, after more than two hours of indirect talks, held in “a constructive atmosphere and based on mutual respect”, Araghchi and Witkoff even met and chatted for a few minutes, as reported by Araghchi himself in the following post on his Telegram channel:
📌End of the first round of indirect Iran-US talks on the issue of lifting sanctions and the nuclear debate
🔹Indirect talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America on the issue of lifting sanctions and the nuclear issue ended a few minutes ago.
🔹In these talks, which were mediated by Oman, Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Steve Witkoff, Special Representative of the President of the United States for the Middle East, exchanged the positions of their respective governments on issues related to Iran's peaceful nuclear program and the lifting of illegal sanctions against Iran through the Foreign Minister of Oman, in a constructive atmosphere based on mutual respect.
The parties agreed that these talks would continue next week.
It is worth noting that after the end of more than two and a half hours of indirect negotiations, the heads of the Iranian and American delegations spoke for a few minutes in the presence of the Omani Foreign Minister as they left the talks.
🔸s_a_araghchi
It is worth mentioning that IRNA reported on several Iranian social media users supporting their Foreign Minister and his negotiating team with messages like these:
The hearts of 85 million Iranians are with you, Mr. minister. Fight for your country with all your might and be a messenger of peace.
[Araghchi is] not only a diplomat but the voice of the nation, whose guarantor is Imam Reza (PBUH) […] proceed with the intention of resolving the country’s challenges, as the people’s prayers are with you.
Araqchi is a person of diplomacy who has headed to Oman for sensitive negotiations and the prayers of the nation is with him.
They really speak volumes, especially when compared to warmongering words by Trump and other (Anglo-)Zionists.
Speaking of negotiations, it is worth reporting that last Wednesday, 10th April 2025, Turkish and Israeli officials held a meeting in Azerbaijan to discuss a conflict prevention mechanism in Syria, as reported in this Al Mayadeen article, according to which the Turksih Defense Ministry urged Israel to “immediately halt provocative attacks that threaten Syria's territorial integrity and destabilize its security” and abandon its “expansionist, occupying stance”. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was also quoted as saying:
We have no intention of conflict in Syria.
When necessary, we will take preemptive measures to neutralize problems before they escalate.
…while criticizing Israel for “systematic destruction” of Syrian airbases over the last 4 months, highlighting the cooperation with Syria in various fields and suggesting at the US establish defined limits for Israeli government.
In another article, Al Mayadeen cited Israeli media describing the talks between Israel and Turkey in Azerbajian as “a potential geographic division of the country reminiscent of the Sykes-Picot treaty”, a secret treaty made in 1916 between the United Kingdom and France, with the aim of dividing the Ottoman Empire's Arab territories into areas of British and French control after World War I (Wikipedia). The same Al Mayadeen article also quoted Israeli Cabinet member Eli Cohen as saying:
We are not seeking a confrontation with Turkiye, but we have made it clear that establishing military bases in Syria is unacceptable.
…as well as former Navy Commander Eli Marom:
What we're seeing here is that Israel and Turkiye have apparently reached an agreement about dividing Syria - it's a sort of Sykes-Picot deal between us and Turkiye.
Syria will no longer remain the same state - it will stay divided. The Turks have interests in one part of this divided state. They're worried about the Kurds west of the Euphrates and want them moved east of the river. This is significant - it amounts to a modern-day Sykes-Picot arrangement between us and Turkiye in recent years.
Israel News quoted an Israeli source involved in the Azerbaijan negotiations as stating:
The talks were a positive first step, but it's still far too early to gauge Turkiye's responsiveness to Israel’s demands.
Gallia Lindenstrauss, a researcher at the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), was quoted in yet another article by Al Mayadeen as saying:
Ultimately, when it comes to Syria, Turkey simply cares more about it than Israel does, and invests accordingly. Israel’s interest in Syria is purely security-oriented.
Turkey has vast ambitions regarding Syria.
On the economic front, Turkey doesn’t want to bear the cost of Syria’s reconstruction, but it does want Turkish companies to rebuild the country and reap the rewards.
And then there’s the refugee issue: Syria hosted millions of refugees during the war, which has become a burning issue in Turkish domestic politics. A stable Syria is key to Ankara’s goal of returning those refugees.
…while Nurit Yohanan, The Times of Israel's Palestinian and Arab world correspondent, wrote in an opinion piece that Israel will need to adapt to Turkey’s growing influence in Syria, noting:
Turkey was a friend to Syria and supported it from the start of the revolution — Syria will not forget this.
On the other hand, Erdogan stated the following at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum yesterday, Friday 11th April 2025:
We are a country that is guided by principles rather than hidden agendas in its foreign policy. We are in understanding and dialogue with honorable Trump and Putin on the issue of Syria's territorial integrity.
Our relations with Russia are developing. We aim to advance relations.
…as quoted by Al Mayadeen. We will see how things develop in Syria, but, generally speaking, I am afraid that Israel and Turkey may have really decided to partition the country among themselves.
UPDATE: Al Mayadeen has reported in a new article that the next round of negotiations between Iran and the Outlaw US Empire will be held again in Oman next Saturday, 19th April 2025, quoting Araghchi, who added:
They said their objective was to reach an agreement, but this requires will.
The American side tried to show its willingness for a fair agreement.
The atmosphere of today’s session indicated continuity.
What matters is the substance—on what basis we will negotiate.
Araghchi has also tweeted the following statement on X (formerly Twitter):
I find most Israeli news to be fiction so place little value on the possibility of Turkey splitting Syria with Israel. Why would Turkey see any merit in a deal that would split what is now a fundalmentalist Islamic state with anyone, let alone Israel??
Far more likely is Turkey making deals with the new Syrian leadership to train the military, supply weapons, rebuild infrastructure. Such deals could involve Russia as well. And Syria does have some capital to do this for Assad left theSyrian treasury intact.
Remember Israel just blew up the Syrian airport that, under a just signed agreement between Syria and Turkey, was to become a Turkish airbase. Why would Turkey make a deal with the people who just bombed them??
I haven't read the second article. Not too inclined - I hate both those men. But I loved the part about 85 million Iranians hearts go with you dear Foreign Minister. I love Iran and if I had no animals I would like to move there.