New round of US-Iran talks over Houthi attacks: FT reports, IRNA denies
Shafaq News/ The United States engaged in indirect discussions with Iran earlier this year to urge Tehran to leverage its influence over Yemen's Houthi movement to cease attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, sources from both nations informed the Financial Times (FT).
The talks in Oman in January also tackled concerns regarding Iran's expanding nuclear program, marking the first direct negotiations between the two countries in 10 months, according to FT.
Brett McGurk, the White House's Middle East adviser, led the American delegation, and Abram Paley, the US envoy for Iran. Iran's representatives included Ali Bagheri Kani, Tehran's top nuclear negotiator and deputy foreign minister.
The FT reported that a follow-up round of talks involving McGurk, slated for February, was postponed due to his involvement in US efforts to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas to quell the conflict in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli captives.
Notably, US officials have consistently accused Iran of providing the Houthis with drones, missiles, and intelligence for their maritime attacks. While Iran acknowledges political support for the Houthis, who control northern Yemen, it contends that the Yemeni forces act independently.
Despite recent escalations, there are indications of Iran's willingness to de-escalate tensions with the US, notably following a drone strike on a US military base on the Jordanian-Syrian border, which resulted in the deaths of three American troops, which prompted US retaliatory strikes against Iranian-affiliated forces in Syria and Iraq.
While Iran's overarching objective may include the removal of American forces from Iraq and Syria, Tehran has signaled its intention not to engage in direct confrontations with the US or Israel, preferring to prevent a full-fledged regional conflict.
However, the Houthi attacks on maritime vessels persist despite US and UK airstrikes targeting their military installations. The relationship between Iran and the Houthis has deepened as the group solidifies its position as a key member of the "axis of resistance" backed by Tehran.
In addition, concerns persist among Western powers regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions, particularly as Tehran continues enriching uranium to levels approaching weapons-grade.
Despite a prisoner swap agreement between Tehran and Washington in September and the unfreezing of $6 billion of Iran's oil funds by the US, the process of identifying foreign companies authorized to trade humanitarian goods with Iran using the funds has stalled, exacerbating economic pressures on Tehran.
Following the FT's report, Iran's state news agency, IRNA, quoted an "informed source" stating that talks primarily focused on lifting US sanctions on Tehran.
"The indirect messaging and dialogue between Tehran and Washington have been limited to the lifting of sanctions only, with no exchange of messages regarding developments in the Red Sea." IRNA quoted its source.
