Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that Iran had halted indirect talks with the US via Omani mediators amid anticipation of a US-supported Israeli attack on Iranian territory.
“Currently, we do not see any ground for these talks, until we can get past the current crisis,” Araghchi said during a visit to Oman, according to Iran’s PressTV.
When asked if he had sent any messages to the US while visiting Oman, Araghchi said, “During the trip, no message has been sent to other countries.”
Earlier this year, Axios reported that the US and Iran held indirect talks in Oman to avoid regional escalations. “Oman has always contributed greatly to solving the regional problems, and regarding Iran and the US, it has always tried to play a positive role in conveying a message or preparing the ground for negotiations,” Araghchi said.
On October 3, Al Jazeera reported that Iran did send one message to the US: that its phase of “self-restraint” is over and that any Israeli attack on its territory would provoke a major response.
Earlier in the year, Iran was carefully working to avoid a direct clash with the US. In April, when Iran responded to the Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, it gave a 72-hour notice before it fired missiles and drones at Israel.
Iran did not provide any notice when it fired nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1, which came in retaliation for a string of Israeli escalations in the region, including the assassination of Hamas’s political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran.
Israel’s attack on Iran could provoke a major war that would involve the US, as the US is vowing to defend Israel and is deploying a THAAD missile system and about 100 troops to Israel for that purpose. The US may also support the expected Israeli attack, either through direct military action or by providing intelligence.
" its phase of “self-restraint” is over and that any Israeli attack on its territory would provoke a major response."
As I stated in an earlier discussion here with someone who seems desperate for there not to any escalation.
Reportedly Vladimir Putin had talks with Iranian President Pezeshkian and supposedly this was to enable Russia to "restrain" Iran in its retaliation. I commented elsewhere that Pezeshkian is the wrong person to try to influence, as the Supreme Leader is in charge of Iran foreign policy, not Pezeshkian.
I'm sure Russia doesn't want to see a major war in the Middle East, but as I also commented, Russia behind in events and neither Russia nor Iran control the pace of escalation now – that is strictly in the US and Israel's hands. And neither of those parties are interested in "de-escalating", no matter what nonsense comes out of the Biden White House.
Iran has already won the minds and hearts of the "have a brain" portion of the human race! It pains me to know that my hard-earned tax dollars go to a government that supports Israel's "right to self defense", also known as genocide. The FACT is that Israel, being a military occupier of other peoples' lands, does NOT have this right!
Araghchi must be stupid. Not because he "halted indirect talks." It's because he started them in the first place.
Well this is the official indirect channel. But do they still have their direct channel red phone that’s located in the Supreme Leader’s private room?
You only talk to the listening ears Not to ones with selective hearing…!