US issues new sanctions on Iran ahead of Oman talks
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The move comes as delegations from Iran and the United States prepare to hold their first round of talks in Oman.
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In this photo released by the Iranian Presidency Office, President Masoud Pezeshkian, second right, listens to head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP)
The United States imposed new sanctions on five Iranian entities and one individual on Wednesday, accusing them of supporting Iran’s nuclear program, just days after President Donald Trump announced plans to initiate discussions with Tehran.
In a statement, the US Department of the Treasury identified the targets, which include the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and its subsidiary, the Iran Centrifuge Technology Company.
The sanctions also targeted Majid Mosallat, head of Atbin Ista Technical and Engineering Company, whom the Treasury accused of aiding the procurement of foreign components for Iran’s nuclear activities.
The move comes as delegations from Iran and the United States prepare to hold their first round of talks in Oman.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that a deal could be reached if the US approaches the negotiations with goodwill.
While Trump has proposed diplomacy to “make a new deal” to replace the agreement he abandoned during his first term, he has simultaneously reinstated his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran and threatened military action if negotiations fail.
Tehran condemned the new sanctions and Trump's threats, describing them as contradictory to his stated offer of negotiations.
Upcoming Iran-US talks
Araghchi's remarks come ahead of high-level indirect talks between the two countries, scheduled to take place in Oman on Saturday. The meeting was also reported by The New York Times, citing Iranian officials familiar with the matter.
It is worth noting that Trump claimed on Monday that Washington and Tehran began direct talks over the Iranian nuclear program.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office at the White House, Trump said, "We're having direct talks with Iran, and they've started. It'll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we'll see what can happen. And I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable," he told reporters.
The US president has been advocating for direct negotiations on a new agreement to limit Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. In response, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei lately described Iran’s offer for indirect talks as “generous, responsible, and wise.”
There is increasing speculation that "Israel", potentially with US backing, may strike Iranian nuclear sites if no agreement is reached.
