MUSCAT, OMAN, 07 Feb. - (ANA) - Middle East countries are calling on the US and Iran to keep the region “out of the flames of war” when they hold much-anticipated talks in Oman on Friday.

 

A diplomatic push by Arab and Gulf states has helped to keep the planned meeting on track, after disagreements over the format and venue threatened to derail it. France and Germany were also calling for diplomacy as top officials visited the Middle East.

 

The new talks follow weeks of unrest in which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran, either to support anti-regime protesters or force Tehran to curtail its nuclear programme.

 

Iran says it is willing to discuss the nuclear issue, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expected to meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Muscat. A previous set of talks failed to reach a settlement before the US and Israel attacked Iran in June last year.

 

Egypt said the new talks resulted from a “series of intensive contacts”. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who has spoken to Mr Witkoff, Mr Araghchi and top officials from Oman and Qatar in the past two days, said he hoped the meeting would lower tension.

 

Mr Abdelatty “stressed the paramount importance of reaching a peaceful and consensual settlement between the US and Iran that addresses everyone's concerns based on mutual respect and shared interests, helping to prevent war in the region”, his office said.

 

Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, who was meeting French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Baghdad on Thursday, warned of a “real risk of a military escalation”. He said Iraq supports the negotiations and “believes that keeping the region out of the flames of war is the duty of all countries, especially neighbouring and Gulf states”.

 

Mr Barrot said Iran should “seize the opportunity” of the talks and make “significant concessions” regarding its nuclear programme its ballistic missile arsenal. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking in Qatar, said his meetings in the Middle East revealed “great concern about a further escalation in the conflict with Iran”.

 

 

 

 

Hopes that the US and Iran would resume talks over Tehran's nuclear programme were clouded by fears of a last-minute change in plans, before officials on both sides confirmed that they would indeed be taking place in Oman on Friday.

 

Pressure from Arab and Gulf states has been largely to thank for solidifying the plans. On Wednesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman spoke to Mr Araghchi on “efforts to reduce tension in the region”, Tehran's state news agency Irna reported.

 

“His Excellency also stressed the need for concerted efforts to spare the peoples of the region the consequences of escalation and to continue co-ordination with brotherly and friendly countries to overcome differences through diplomatic means,” Qatar's news agency said about the call.

 

It came after Sheikh Mohammed met Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Doha, where they discussed regional developments and “efforts made” towards them.

 

A White House official told The National that planning for talks resumed after lobbying by several Arab and Muslim leaders. Axios reported that at least nine countries from the region had “passed messages to the most senior levels of the Trump administration … asking that the US does not cancel the meeting”.

 

Several countries are concerned about potential chaos spreading if the Iranian government is toppled, as well as the risk of a cornered regime firing missiles at US bases they host. Mr Trump had threatened to strike Iran over the regime's crackdown on nationwide protests.

 

Calls for diplomacy were also made publicly. On Wednesday, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al Sabah called for “common sense” to prevail.

 

“Hopefully, a peaceful solution will be reached. If war started then God knows what will happen. Let’s hope for the best,” Sheikh Ahmad said. “We can’t live in a world that is not controlled properly.”

 

But Wednesday was a day of drama as to whether talks between Washington and Tehran would take place. Initially set to be held in Turkey, they were moved to Oman after an Iranian request. Finally, Iran and the US both confirmed that talks would take place in Muscat.

 

Mr Araghchi thanked “our Omani brothers for making all necessary arrangements”.

 

Oman was the place of choice for the beginning of the last round of talks that were abruptly disrupted when Israel attacked Iran in July last year just as progress was being made.

 

Iran's semi-official Isna news agency reported the negotiations would ?adopt ‌a ?format similar ?to the rounds last year that were mediated by Oman and held in Muscat, and at the Omani embassy in Rome.

 

Turkey, Oman and several other nations had offered to hold the talks, Iranian officials said.  - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/07 February 2026  - - -