Talks between the US and Iran set for the weekend are not expected to yield major results but could prevent a military attack against Tehran that would have a dangerous regional impact, experts have told The National.
Although the agenda for the negotiations in Oman remains uncertain, the two sides are likely to discuss Iran's nuclear capabilities and missile arsenal, as well as the influence it wields across the Middle East through allied groups.
“The talks will not deliver immediate success or failure but will be a part of a longer discussion that cannot be concluded so quickly,” said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at London-based think tank Chatham House.
“The meeting – whether direct or indirect – will be important to set out the framework and issues on the table,” she told The National.
These talks can “prevent further advancements in Iran's nuclear programme and stop a military attack that will be extremely dangerous not just for Iran but for the region as a whole”, she said.
Earlier this week, both Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump confirmed the talks would take place, but they differed on whether they would be conducted directly or through intermediaries.
Since Mr Trump sent a letter in early March to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for dialogue, there has been disagreement over the issue.
Mr Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority over foreign policy matters, has repeatedly expressed opposition to holding direct talks with the Trump administration, which he blames for the collapse of a 2015 deal with world powers that placed limits on Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief. Mr Trump pulled the US out of the deal in 2018, during his first term as president.
Since returning to office, Mr Trump has taken a carrot and stick approach to dealing with Iran, simultaneously calling for a diplomatic deal while also voicing plans for a military attack with “bombing the likes of which they have never seen”.
He has said “Iran is going to be in great danger” if the talks are unsuccessful.
For his part, Mr Araghchi has expressed a willingness to secure an agreement, writing in the Washington Post on Tuesday that Tehran was “ready to engage in earnest and with a view to seal a deal”.
“It is as much an opportunity as it is a test,” Mr Araghchi wrote. He said his country's top priority is the lifting of sweeping US sanctions. Their reimposition by Mr Trump in 2018 as part of a “maximum pressure” campaign has dealt a heavy blow to the Iranian economy, with inflation running high and the currency plunging.
“If the other side shows enough of the necessary willingness, a deal can be found,” Mr Araghchi said. “The ball is in America's court.”
Preventing war
Farzan Sabet, managing researcher at the Geneva Graduate Institute, told The National that the talks are an opportunity to prevent violence. “What I think is at stake is the prospect of war or at the very least a significant military conflict, including US strikes on Iran and Iranian retaliatory strikes,” he said.
The likelihood of a military clash is higher than at any time in the past and will remain high if a concrete deal is not reached between the two sides, Mr Sabet added.
“The chances for a potential conflict do increase over time – despite the fact that Iran is not looking for a confrontation – and President Trump would prefer to avoid that outcome,” he told The National.
The threat of war comes at a time of shifting dynamics in the Middle East that place Tehran in a vulnerable position. Regional armed groups allied to Iran have been weakened by months of military conflict with Israel, while Tehran has lost an ally with the fall of former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad.
Iran's “deterrent capabilities have been weakened and just as importantly, the perception of their military strength has gone down, so they're viewed both within the region and beyond as being relatively weaker than before October 2023", Mr Sabet said.
Talking points
At the top of the agenda for the talks will be the nuclear programme, Iran's missiles and its proxies in the region, experts said.
Washington will press Tehran to stop nuclear enrichment, hand over its supply of enriched uranium and destroy its existing nuclear facilities as well as stop its support for regional military groups. This will be rejected by Iran's senior officials, analysts told The National.
On the table will be questions such as “how much do you curb enrichment, and do you leave a residual enrichment programme?” said Dina Esfandiary, an Iran expert and Middle East geo-economics lead at Bloomberg Economics.
“Some people in the US system have been calling for complete dismantlement of Iran's programme. I think that's a non-starter for Iran. If that's their opening salvo, it's not going to go very far,” Ms Esfandiary told The National.
For the Iranians, the question of how much sanctions relief they can secure will be a top priority. “I think there's going to be a little bit of a dance, push and pull on those two main issues,” Ms Esfandiary said.
An initial agenda will be set out when US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff engages with Mr Araghchi on Saturday.
“Both sides will then return to their respective capitals for feedback, and if the progress is viewed as positive there, come back with a more concrete idea of what issues they want to address,” Mr Sabet said.
But Ms Esfandiary indicated that Washington could find the negotiations slow and challenging, with Mr Araghchi a seasoned diplomat with decades of experience on the nuclear file.
“To put it mildly, I wouldn't want to be Mr Witkoff,” she said.
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Tathoor, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: Aiz Alawda, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohammed Daggash
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
Winner: Somoud, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Al Jazi, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Celta Vigo v Villarreal (midnight kick-off UAE)
Saturday Sevilla v Real Sociedad (4pm), Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (7.15pm), Granada v Barcelona (9.30pm), Osasuna v Real Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Levante v Eibar (4pm), Cadiz v Alaves (7.15pm), Elche v Getafe (9.30pm), Real Valladolid v Valencia (midnight)
Monday Huesca v Real Betis (midnight)
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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