DUBAI — On Friday (April 11), Iran announced that it would approach upcoming high-level nuclear talks with the United States “with a genuine chance,” following President Donald Trump’s warning of potential military action if diplomacy fails. Trump, who recently returned to the White House, surprised many on Monday by revealing that discussions between Washington and Tehran would begin in Oman, a country known for mediating between the West and Iran.

During his first term, Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, and his return has signaled a renewed hardline stance against Iran—a nation viewed by Israel, a close US ally, as a serious threat due to its nuclear ambitions. Recent military actions by Israel across the region—including strikes within Iran—have weakened Iran and its allied groups. These offensives followed Hamas' October 2023 attacks from Gaza. Despite tensions, Iran’s foreign ministry stated that it was entering the talks with cautious optimism. “We intend to assess the other side's intent and resolve this Saturday,” said ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on X. “With sincere vigilance, we are giving diplomacy a genuine chance.”

US airstrikes on the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen, who disrupted Red Sea shipping in support of Hamas, have raised fears of a broader conflict. Meanwhile, Israel has resumed military operations against Hamas, and a fragile truce with Hezbollah in Lebanon remains uncertain. Though Iran had previously refused direct talks, Trump’s warning on March 30 that failure to reach a deal would lead to unprecedented bombing has brought both sides to the table.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.