In an era of fractured international diplomacy, the Sultanate of Oman has emerged as an indispensable bridge between two countries with no diplomatic relations and a history of mutual hostility. Its role as intermediary in the Iran-US nuclear talks — now in their second round in Geneva — reflects both its geographic position and its decades-long cultivation of trusted relationships with Washington and Tehran alike.
Tuesday’s session lasted three and a half hours and ended with Iran’s foreign minister declaring that “general guiding principles” had been agreed. Araghchi described the atmosphere as more constructive than the February 6 first round and indicated that written proposals would be exchanged before a third meeting expected in approximately two weeks.
Oman’s involvement is not new. The Gulf state has historically served as a back-channel for sensitive Iran-US communications, including preliminary contacts that helped pave the way for the 2015 nuclear deal. Its reactivation as a facilitator in the current talks underscores how few other options exist for maintaining even indirect communication between two governments that remain deeply suspicious of each other.
The technical agenda in Geneva was dense: Iran’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium, IAEA inspection access to bombed nuclear sites, enrichment duration, and the conditions under which any agreement could be verified. Against this, Iran maintained its refusals to discuss ballistic missiles or regional alliances — positions Oman can relay but not change.
As a non-NATO US partner with strong ties to Tehran, Oman occupies a unique diplomatic space. Its continued willingness to play this role — managing the sensitivities of both sides, absorbing pressure, and facilitating communication — may ultimately prove as important to any eventual agreement as the substance of the talks themselves.