Iran and US Indirect Talks Halted Amid Middle East Crisis
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Monday that indirect talks with the United States have been halted due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. The decision comes after Iran fired 200 missiles at Israel on October 1 in retaliation for the killing of Tehran-aligned militant leaders in the region and a general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The talks, which were facilitated by Oman, were paused in June after officials from Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman to discuss how to avoid escalating regional attacks. However, with tensions still running high, Iran sees no grounds for the talks to continue.
“Araghchi told reporters in Muscat that ‘currently, we don’t see any grounds for these talks, until we can get past the current crisis.’ The talks had been halted due to the specific conditions of the region, he added,” reported US news website Axios.
Iran’s decision comes as Israel has vowed to retaliate against Tehran’s recent missile attack. The situation is further complicated by Oman, which has long mediated between Iran and the United States, despite the two countries having no diplomatic relations.
Araghchi met with officials in Oman, including Mohammed Abdel Salam, a senior official of the Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen, and called for an immediate end to the conflict. He also spoke with his Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi over the developments in Lebanon and Gaza.
In a separate call, Araghchi slammed the US obstruction of the United Nations Security Council in relation to the wars in Lebanon and Gaza, labeling it “a disaster.” He also made the same call during a visit to China, which is a permanent member of the council.
The situation in the Middle East remains highly volatile, with several regional powers vying for influence and power. For now, it seems that indirect talks between Iran and the United States are on hold, at least for the time being.
