The Iranian foreign ministry said it would continue nuclear negotiations with the United States “next week” after more than two and a half hours of indirect talks in Oman.

The ministry said on Saturday that “the two sides agreed to continue these talks next week”, adding that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff spoke directly for “a few minutes” after the mediated discussions.

Oman’s top diplomat, who mediated talks between the United States and Iran in Muscat, said they were held in a “friendly atmosphere” and launched a quest for a “fair and binding agreement”.

“I am proud to announce that today in Muscat we hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Seyed Abbas Araghchi and US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and mediated to begin a process of dialogue and negotiations with the shared aim of concluding a fair and binding agreement.”

“I would like to thank my two colleagues for this engagement, which took place in a friendly atmosphere,” Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a statement posted on X.

He affirmed that his country “will continue to work together and put further efforts to assist in arriving at this goal”.

‘Close to an agreement’

Tehran and Washington are very close to agreement on the content of future negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said.

“During the meeting, I think we came very close to a basis for negotiations,” Araghchi told Iranian state television. “At our next meeting, if we can finalise that basis, we will have gone a large part of the way.”

On page X earlier Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the representatives of the Iranian and American sides were seated in separate rooms and conveying their views to each other through the Omani mediator.

Iran had initially refused to engage in direct talks with the US but agreed to hold indirect talks with Oman’s mediation following a recent exchange of letters between the two sides.​​​​​​​