The Wall Street Journal: The United States is resuming indirect talks with Iran to ease tensions
The Wall Street Journal reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden has secretly resumed negotiations with Tehran to reduce the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, and to release its citizens from Iranian prisons.
Quoting sources that the Sultanate of Oman has been playing the role of mediator in the indirect talks between the United States and Iran since December of last year.
White House representatives traveled to Oman at least three times during this period.
The Wall Street Journal newspaper stated that Washington allowed the Iraqi government to pay 2.5 billion Euros frozen due to the sanctions imposed on Iranian electricity and gas, and the United States described this transfer as a routine procedure that had already been implemented before, however, this time the payment was made in Euros, not in the national currency, as It was before, and this liberated money allowed Iran to partially repay its debt to Turkmenistan, as well as contribute its share to the Islamic Development Bank, where it is the third largest shareholder.
The Wall Street Journal newspaper added, “For Iran, in the context of international sanctions and the separation of banks from the SWIFT payment system, it’s important to achieve the release of its frozen assets, and this is exactly what the Iranian authorities are seeking in return for the release of American prisoners and proof that there are no nuclear weapons in the country”.
The Wall Street Journal said, “The US presidential administration officially denies all relations with Iran, because this could harm Joe Biden’s election campaign”.
American Axios website revealed, earlier, that Iranian officials and US held indirect talks in the Sultanate of Oman last month, mediated by Omani officials who were moving between their separate rooms to deliver messages.
Axios website added that US President Joe Biden’s chief adviser in the Middle East, Brett McGurk, secretly traveled to the Sultanate of Oman on May 8, to hold talks with Omani officials about possible diplomatic communication with Iran regarding its nuclear program.
