US property magnate-turned-Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, also a former nuclear negotiator, will represent Washington and Tehran at crucial talks in Oman on Saturday.
Earlier this week, Mr Araghchi and US President Donald Trump confirmed that talks would take place, but they differed on whether they would be conducted directly or through intermediaries.
Although the agenda for the negotiations in Oman remains unclear, 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.
But who are the two faces of these talks?
Property mogul to negotiator
Mr Witkoff, 68, came into the role in January with no prior experience in foreign policy. However, he has since spearheaded crucial negotiations in the Middle East, particularly playing a key role in ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel.
He came into the spotlight shortly after his appointment when Mr Trump credited him with achieving a truce in Gaza. Although the truce collapsed in March, it saw the release of 25 living hostages and the return of the bodies of eight others.
Mr Trump described Mr Witkoff as “a highly respected leader in business and philanthropy, who has made every project and community he has been involved with stronger and more prosperous”.
The Middle East envoy has also been at the forefront of negotiations in Saudi Arabia on Ukraine between the US and Russia.
When he came into office at the start of the year, Mr Trump vowed to end the wars that the former administration could not stop, so the pressure on Mr Witkoff was high as the person leading ceasefire talks.
Mr Witkoff is the president’s golf partner and was with Mr Trump when he was the target of a second attempted assassination at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024. His son named a child after Mr Trump.
Mr Witkoff's strong and public bond with Mr Trump is likely to strengthen the idea that he speaks on the president's behalf, which is vital to any diplomat's success.
Iran's seasoned diplomat
Mr Araghchi, 62, became Iran's foreign minister in August 2024, taking over from Ali Bagheri Kani, who served in an interim capacity after Hossein Amirabdollahian was killed in a helicopter crash alongside president Ebrahim Raisi in May. Their deaths triggered a June presidential election that was won by Masoud Pezeshkian, who has called for reviving talks with the West.
Following the 1979 Islamic revolution, Mr Araghchi joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He served on the front lines during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s before joining the foreign ministry as an expert on international affairs.
He also served as the ministry's spokesman, political deputy and ambassador to Finland and Japan. He was the first head of Iran's mission to the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.
Mr Araghchi was a chief negotiator for Iran in nuclear talks with western powers between 2013 and 2021. He remains a supporter of a deal but has previously stated that the landmark 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) cannot be revived in the same form and text. He has suggested, however, that the previous deal could provide a basis and model for upcoming negotiations.
The JCPOA fell apart after the US, under Mr Trump's first term, unilaterally withdrew from it.
The Foreign Minister is equipped with knowledge of previous nuclear negotiations in what is likely to become one of his most delicate challenges in this role. The stakes are arguably higher for Iran and Mr Araghchi is tasked with more than leading talks. He needs to avert the military action that Mr Trump has warned is on the table if discussions fail.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience
by David Gilmour
Allen Lane
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Tomb%20Raider%20I%E2%80%93III%20Remastered
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20series%20X%2FS%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
When is VAR used?
• Goals
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red-card incidents
• Mistaken identity
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Without Remorse
Directed by: Stefano Sollima
Starring: Michael B Jordan
4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
Poacher
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