According to Axios, citing sources from an Arab country, US-Iran nuclear talks will take place in Oman after the US accepted Tehran’s request to move the venue from Turkey to Oman.

Previously, Iran wanted to change the location of the talks to bilateral ones and narrow the scope to only the nuclear issue, instead of including ballistic missiles and the role of proxy forces in the region. Tehran also proposed excluding the participation of Arab and Muslim countries in the region.

US allies in the Middle East are concerned that Iran’s new demands could complicate reconciliation efforts. Oman, which has hosted US-Iran dialogues many times, is seen as a suitable location to de-escalate tensions. However, Washington insists its goals extend beyond the nuclear program, encompassing ballistic missile restrictions and an end to support for proxy forces. The White House confirmed the meetings “remain scheduled,” but stressed that President Donald Trump “always keeps all options open, including the use of force.”

On the ground, tensions escalated just before the talks. According to CNN, the Pentagon reported on February 3rd that an F-35C fighter jet shot down a large Iranian drone after it allegedly “aggressively approached” the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. Iran’s Tasnim news agency acknowledged losing contact with a drone while on a reconnaissance mission in international waters, but did not specify the reason.

Hours later, two speedboats of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps approached the US-flagged chemical tanker M/V Stena Imperative in the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to board the vessel. The destroyer USS McFaul, along with air support, escorted the ship out of the area, de-escalating the situation.