WSJ: Iran refuses to suspend uranium enrichment in talks with US

During the February 6 talks between senior US and Iranian officials, Tehran stuck to its refusal to stop enriching nuclear fuel. This was reported by the newspaper The Wall Street Journal with reference to unnamed interlocutors familiar with the matter.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told his American counterparts that Tehran would neither stop enrichment nor move it outside the country, rejecting a key US demand.

At the same time, the Iranian Foreign Minister said that the meeting in Oman was a "good start" and added that the parties intend to meet again.

The parties did not meet face to face, but instead held talks with Omani diplomats in turn. None of them moved from their initial position, the interlocutors said.

Regional officials and analysts did not have high hopes for these talks, given Iran's reluctance to stop uranium enrichment and the U.S. insistence that Iran's ballistic missile program and support for paramilitary groups be included in the discussion.

Many believed that the best outcome, given the significant differences between the parties, would be a commitment to de-escalation and an agreement to meet again, journalists said.

The talks were attended by the US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, son-in-law of the President of the United States Donald Trump Jared Kushner and Arakchi. According to a U.S. official, the U.S. delegation also included Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East.

This meeting was the first between the United States and Iran since the 12-day war in June. This war, started by Israel, ended with the US bombing of key Iranian nuclear facilities. The United States has again concentrated air and naval forces near Iran and is threatening to strike.

The United States demands that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment, limit its ballistic missile program, and stop supporting proxies. Iran has declared its readiness to discuss only its nuclear program with the United States.

• On February 3, 2026, Axios wrote that Iran demanded to postpone the negotiations from Turkey to Oman. Tehran has also expressed a desire to hold them in a bilateral format, only with the United States.
• On February 4, Arakci stated that the negotiations will take place in Oman. He reported on the format of the meeting.