MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. Unrealistic demands from US President Donald Trump's administration that extend beyond the scope of the Iranian nuclear program could lead to a deadlock in negotiations with Iran and possibly provoke military escalation in the Middle East, according to Adlan Margoyev, an expert on Iranian affairs and a researcher at the Institute of International Studies at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University). He made these comments in an interview with TASS.
"It is crucial to approach the upcoming Iranian-American talks in Oman from two perspectives: as an expert and as a diplomat. For those who have closely followed the negotiations for the past 12 years, it is hard to imagine how Washington and Tehran will find mutually acceptable terms. In May 2018, Trump withdrew from the 159-page Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which had been negotiated for nearly three years," Margoyev stated.
"At present, the US president insists that any new agreement must include restrictions on Iran's regional actions. Such a maximalist approach from the United States may either extend the negotiation process or completely disrupt it, potentially shifting the focus towards a military outcome," Margoyev pointed out.
He stressed that Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran are committed "solely to a peaceful resolution of the issue." "Representatives from the three countries met in the Russian capital on April 8 to coordinate their approach to future negotiations, which include not only the United States and Iran but also other countries that are parties to the agreement on Iran's nuclear program: Russia, China, Britain, Germany, and France," the expert explained.
"No matter how challenging the prospects for negotiations between Iran and the US may seem, the diplomats' goal is to seize every opportunity to prevent a military strike against Iran by Israel and potentially the US. The realization of such a scenario would have unpredictable consequences and be contrary to Russia's interests," the expert concluded.
US-Iran talks in Oman
On April 12, representatives from the US and Iran are set to meet in Oman to discuss the terms for a resolution regarding the Iranian nuclear program. According to the White House, the talks will be conducted directly, while Tehran claims they will take place through intermediaries. The American delegation will be led by Presidential Special Envoy Steven Witkoff, while the Iranian delegation will be headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Tehran insists on finalizing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, proposing to include provisions for imposing penalties on any party that may choose to withdraw from the agreement in the future. The US, on the other hand, demands not only measures to halt the military aspect of Iran's nuclear program but also the complete dismantling of all nuclear facilities. Additionally, Washington insists that Tehran end its support for allies in the Middle East and restrict its ballistic missile development program.
Iran strongly opposes any attempts to curtail its foreign policy and defense capabilities, asserting its right to develop civilian nuclear power.
Deal’s collapse
In 2015, Iran, along with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), resolving a crisis that began in 2002 amid Western accusations that Tehran was seeking nuclear weapons. However, in 2018, Trump announced the US exit from the JCPOA and reinstated all sanctions against Iran.
In response, Iran declared in 2020 that it would scale back its commitments under the JCPOA and restrict access for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors. Negotiations aimed at reviving the nuclear deal, held in Vienna from 2021 to 2022, ended without a resolution. Upon returning to the White House in 2025, Trump signed an executive order to reintroduce a policy of maximum pressure on Iran, threatening military action if Tehran did not agree to a new deal with Washington.
On March 7, Trump stated that he had sent a message to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, offering to hold talks regarding the nuclear program. Tehran refused to engage in direct dialogue with the US but allowed discussions to proceed through intermediaries.
On March 30, Trump warned that he would enforce additional tariffs on Iran in two weeks if the nuclear talks did not succeed. He also threatened unprecedented airstrikes on the Islamic republic, should there be a total rejection of the deal. In response, Khamenei expressed doubt regarding the likelihood of US military intervention but cautioned that any attempt by Washington to incite unrest in Iran would provoke a strong response.
On October 18, Western countries will have the opportunity to trigger a mechanism to automatically reinstate UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran. Iran has indicated that it would then withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, although the development of nuclear weapons is officially prohibited by Khamenei's 2003 decree.