THE US and Iran will begin discussions in Oman over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme, both sides confirmed today.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the talks would be indirect, likely with Omani mediators shuttling between the parties.

But US President Donald Trump, in announcing the negotiations on Monday, described them as direct talks.

Tehran is currently enriching uranium up to 60 per cent purity, a technical step away from weapons-grade levels.

Both the US and Israel have threatened military action over the programme, while Iranian officials have increasingly warned they could potentially pursue a nuclear bomb.

“Our main goal in the talks is naturally restoring rights of people as well as lifting sanctions, and if the other side has a real will, this is achievable and it has no relation to the method, either direct or indirect,” Mr Araghchi said.

“For the time being, indirect is our preference. And we have no plan to alter it to direct.”

Iran’s economy has been severely affected by international sanctions, particularly after Mr Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.

Saturday’s negotiations follow a letter from Mr Trump to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in an attempt to initiate direct talks between Tehran and Washington.

In February, Mr Khamenei warned that talks with the Trump administration is “not intelligent, wise or honourable.”

Meanwhile, an expert-level meeting among representatives from Russia, China and Iran was set to take place in Moscow today to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in comments carried by Russian news agencies.