Venue dispute derails Iran nuclear talks, officials say

U.S. officials say Iran rejected a plan to keep Friday’s talks in Istanbul and instead move them to Oman in a bilateral format focused only on nuclear issues. Washington refused the shift, saying it was “this or nothing,” raising the risk that the talks—originally to include both direct U.S.-Iran discussions and wider multilateral talks—will collapse for now. If Iran returns to the original format, the U.S. says it’s willing to meet this week or next. Officials warn the standoff could block a diplomatic path and push toward military options, as the two-track approach to address Iran’s nuclear program, missiles, and other concerns remains unresolved.