Iran’s determination for a massive response has halted Washington’s rush to launch air and missile strikes against Iran’s leadership and vital facilities, as indirect talks between the United States and Iran are set to take place in Muscat next Friday. The talks come as Washington continues to bolster its offensive military posture in the region, while Iran, on the other hand, is on high alert to counter a possible attack whether from the United States or Israel that could go beyond limited strikes and lead to a wider regional war.
Publish dateThursday 5 February 2026 - 22:42
Story Code : 345580
The talks come as the United States has intensified its threatening tone and threatened to target Iranian leaders and strategic facilities, a theme echoed in statements by US President Donald Trump. In contrast, Iranian data suggests that the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has increased its defense readiness and activated immediate response plans, a move Tehran describes as part of its “mutual deterrence” policy to prevent any surprise attack during or after the talks.
Sources say Tehran appears to have learned lessons from last June’s war, in which Iran believes Washington allowed Tel Aviv to use Iran-US talks as a cover to attack nuclear facilities and target military commanders and scientists. Accordingly, Iran will go to the negotiating table next Friday on high alert, stressing that any aggression will be met with an immediate and decisive response that will target US and Israeli interests in the region without hesitation or delay.
According to these sources, Iran is entering the talks with specific conditions that limit the agenda to the nuclear file only and make any possible concessions conditional on countermeasures related to international sanctions. Tehran insists that no path outside this framework is on the table and that the approach to the talks will be “step by step” with clear and verifiable guarantees.
In contrast, diplomatic assessments suggest that Iran’s level of assertiveness and declared readiness for a rapid response and the risks of a possible regional war with far-reaching consequences have been effective in curbing the momentum of US military moves and have led Washington to accept indirect talks with implementation terms closer to Iran’s point of view, although the military buildup is still maintained as a tool of pressure.
In the meantime, the Sultanate of Oman is once again emerging as a traditional mediator, maintaining quiet and unobtrusive channels of communication and trying to help reduce tensions and manage differences. Although expectations remain low, observers believe the Muscat talks will be a crucial test of the two sides' ability to prevent a slide into wider confrontation at a highly sensitive regional time.
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