US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he expected to make a decision on Iran “very quickly” following what both Washington and Tehran described as positive and constructive indirect talks held in Oman.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Mr Trump confirmed he had met with advisers to discuss Iran and anticipated a swift outcome. However, he did not elaborate. “We'll be making a decision on Iran very quickly,” he said.
The indirect negotiations, held in Muscat on Saturday, marked a rare moment of diplomatic engagement between the long-time adversaries. The discussions were aimed at addressing western concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led the Iranian delegation, while US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff headed the US team. Despite the potential for disappointment, the meeting appeared to open a path forward, with both sides agreeing to continue negotiations towards a possible new nuclear agreement.
The format followed Iran’s insistence on indirect talks, with Oman acting as mediator. This arrangement came despite a prior announcement by Mr Trump, flanked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that the US would pursue direct meetings with Iran.
Following the talks, leaders across the Middle East, including Iraq and Saudi Arabia, responded with cautious optimism, noting the shift in tone after years of impasse.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed this change in rhetoric last week by inviting American investors to the country, a notable departure from Tehran’s usual messaging towards its primary geopolitical rival. From the US side, deputy special envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus told The National that the Trump administration is staffed with officials focused on “deliverables” and “outcomes.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry representative Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed that the Muscat talks were the first round of indirect discussions aimed at lifting what Iran calls the “illegal sanctions”. He said the sides agreed on a general framework for negotiations.
“We have repeatedly said and shown in practice that we have no concerns or obstacles to build trust regarding the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme,” Mr Baqaei told state media. “We have proven that in practice over the past two decades, and everyone knows what happened to that agreement – Iran fully adhered to its commitments, and ultimately the United States unilaterally withdrew from it,” he added, referring to the 2015 nuclear deal.
Mr Baqaei also noted that Saturday’s discussions were mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi and involved four rounds of message exchanges covering positions and negotiating frameworks. He described the atmosphere as respectful and the outcome as constructive.
Asked whether both sides had laid out their demands and conditions, he said: “Yes, in principle, in any negotiation of this kind, general frameworks are exchanged in the first meeting and both sides specify in what format and under what principles they are willing to negotiate.”
According to Axios, quoting two sources, a second round of nuclear talks is scheduled to take place on April 19 in Rome.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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MATCH INFO
English Premiership semi-finals
Saracens 57
Wasps 33
Exeter Chiefs 36
Newcastle Falcons 5
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
