Foreign Policy·February 2, 2026
Trump envoys meet Iran in Oman as nuclear talks attempt de-escalation
Kushner joins Witkoff for talks as USS Abraham Lincoln deploys
Trump administration envoys 
Steve Witkoff and 
Jared Kushner held indirect talks with Iranian Foreign Minister 
Abbas Araghchi in Muscat, Oman on February 6, 2026 to negotiate a nuclear agreement. Oman mediated the discussions, with Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi shuttling between the separate U.S. and Iranian delegations. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper also participated. The meeting occurred amid a major U.S. military buildup in the region, including the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to the Arabian Sea. Both sides agreed to hold follow-on discussions after consultations with their capitals.
Key facts
Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oman on February 5-6, 2026. The meeting was originally planned for Istanbul on February 7, but Iran insisted on moving it to Oman and excluding third parties.
The meeting focused on negotiating a nuclear agreement to avert U.S. military action against Iran. The U.S. had deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group to the Arabian Sea as a pressure tactic.
Regional powers including Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt facilitated the negotiations to prevent military escalation after initial talks nearly collapsed.
On February 6, while talks progressed in Oman, Trump ordered new sanctions on 14 Iranian oil 'shadow fleet' vessels and 17 entities, combining diplomatic engagement with economic pressure.
Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any U.S. attack would spark a regional war. Trump responded that 'we will find out' if no deal is reached.
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