The diplomatic détente between Washington and Tehran entered into a stalemate Friday as Iranian negotiators flatly refused to halt uranium enrichment, defying President Trump's ultimatums during tense talks in Oman, highly placed sources in Ankara told The Levant Files.
Meeting for the first time since last June's devastating war, delegations led by President Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi failed to bridge the chasm separating their positions. According to sources with direct knowledge of the closed-door negotiations in Muscat, Tehran categorically rejected Washington's central demand to dismantle its nuclear capabilities, insisting that enrichment would continue unabated despite the U.S. armada massing in the Persian Gulf.
"The Iranians didn't budge an inch on the nuclear file," one Turkish source disclosed to The Levant Files. "They made it clear that surrendering enrichment is a red line they will not cross, even with American warships pointing guns at their heads."
The refusal to abandon enrichment comes as Trump has vowed to strike Iran with "speed and violence" if his demands are not met. Locked in their initial positions, neither side secured concessions. Yet in a surprising twist, Iranian officials signaled openness to further negotiations, offering a fragile lifeline as the region teeters on the brink. While Friday's talks produced no breakthrough, the agreement to continue dialogue—for now—prevents the immediate eruption of the catastrophic conflict both powers seemed poised to unleash.