Acting FM-Indirect Talks w/US Ongoing

Iran's acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani has claimed that indirect talks between Iran and the US, hosted by Oman, are ongoing. Reuters reports the former chief nuclear negotiator saying that "Indirect talks are being conducted through Oman but the negotiation process is confidential and its details cannot be recounted,". Baheri Kani claimed "Efforts were being made to leave "suitable grounds" for negotiations for the new Iranian government that will take office in the next few weeks."

• WSJ's Laurence Norman posts on X, in response to the Reuters article that "My understanding is that they will be ongoing once the new president is in office."
• There will be significant focus on the rhetoric and actions of President-Elect Masoud Pezeshkian once he comes to office on 28 July. As a moderate reformist there has been some expectation that his adminstration will seek to engage more in talks with the US in an effort to roll back sanctions.
• However, foreign policy is still almost wholly within the purview of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has consistently denounced the US and the prospect of scaling back Iran's nuclear programme.