MUSCAT, Oman — Oman on Friday mediated indirect talks between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program, an effort aimed at easing escalating tensions following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and a deadly crackdown by Iranian authorities on nationwide protests.

Omani officials publicly acknowledged the discussions after journalists from the Associated Press observed Iranian and American delegations separately arriving at a palace on the outskirts of Muscat to meet with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. The delegations did not meet face-to-face, underscoring the indirect nature of the negotiations.

It was not immediately clear whether the talks would continue beyond Friday. After both convoys departed, the palace was left empty, and neither Washington nor Tehran released an official readout of the discussions.

The talks marked a return to Oman, which has long served as a discreet intermediary between the two rivals, months after earlier negotiations collapsed following Israel’s 12-day war against Iran in June. During that conflict, the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites, an attack that U.S. officials believe destroyed many of the centrifuges used to enrich uranium to near weapons-grade levels. Israeli strikes also severely damaged Iran’s air defenses and targeted its ballistic missile capabilities.

U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have said Iran’s leadership is facing its most serious internal challenge since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Nationwide protests last month posed a significant threat to the rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting a crackdown that reportedly left thousands dead and tens of thousands arrested. The unrest has been accompanied by renewed military warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump.

With the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, additional warships, and fighter jets now deployed in the region, the United States has the capability to carry out further military action. However, analysts caution that whether such force could compel Iran to change course—or destabilize its government—remains uncertain.

Regional tensions remain high, with Gulf Arab states warning that any new conflict could spark a broader regional war. Recent incidents have underscored those fears, including U.S. forces shooting down an Iranian drone near the Abraham Lincoln and Iran attempting to intercept a U.S.-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

Friday’s meetings took place at a palace near Muscat’s international airport, a venue previously used by Oman for U.S.-Iran talks earlier this year. AP journalists observed Iranian officials arriving first, followed later by a U.S. convoy flying the American flag, which remained at the palace for about 90 minutes.

Oman’s Foreign Ministry later said al-Busaidi met separately with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and with U.S. Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff, along with Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law. Footage released by the state-run Oman News Agency also showed U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, attending the American meeting—an unusual development not seen in previous rounds of talks.

“The consultations focused on preparing the appropriate circumstances for resuming the diplomatic and technical negotiations,” the ministry said, emphasizing the parties’ stated commitment to achieving “sustainable security and stability.”

On social media, Araghchi said Iran was entering the talks “with open eyes and a steady memory of the past year,” stressing that commitments must be honored and that “equal standing, mutual respect and mutual interest” were essential to any lasting agreement. Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Khamenei, publicly backed Araghchi, describing him as a trusted and strategic negotiator acting under the supreme leader’s authority.

The U.S. delegation was led by Witkoff, a longtime associate of President Trump, accompanied by Kushner, who has recently been involved in regional diplomatic initiatives, including proposals related to Gaza and talks involving Russia and Ukraine. The pair had traveled to Oman after meetings in Qatar, according to reports by Al Jazeera.

It remains unclear what concessions Iran may be willing to consider. Tehran has maintained that the discussions are limited strictly to its nuclear program. However, Al Jazeera reported that diplomats from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar floated a proposal under which Iran would pause uranium enrichment for three years, export its highly enriched uranium, and pledge not to initiate the use of ballistic missiles. Russia has signaled willingness to receive the uranium, though Iranian officials have previously rejected such terms.

Rubio said earlier this week that any agreement must address Iran’s nuclear activities, missile program, and regional behavior.

“I’m not sure you can reach a deal with these guys,” he said, “but we’re going to try to find out.”