In talking with Tehran, Trump is reversing course on Iran – could a new nuclear deal be next?

Iranian and U.S. negotiators are expected to meet in Oman on April 26, raising hopes of progress towards a new nuclear agreement. The talks follow previous rounds of negotiations under the Trump administration that led to sending nuclear experts from both sides. President Trump had previously withdrawn the U.S. from a multilateral agreement with Iran, opting for a policy of enhanced sanctions and implicit military threats. However, this failed to halt Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has now authorized renewed diplomacy, rejecting Israel’s push for military strikes against Tehran. The return to diplomacy echoes efforts from the Obama era to urge Iran to limit its uranium enrichment. Challenges remain, including internal divisions and opposition within the U.S. administration and skepticism within Iran. The long-standing mistrust between the two countries dates back to the Iranian revolution in 1979. The potential for a new deal faces obstacles from conservative hawks in both nations. The history of U.S.-Iran relations has been marked by tension, with Iran’s nuclear ambitions a key point of contention. Previous agreements have faced criticism, but there is a window of opportunity for diplomacy under the current circumstances.