Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman on Friday, negotiations that appeared to return to the starting point on how to approach discussions over Tehran’s nuclear program. The

Abbas Aragchi spoke after hours of talks in Oman ended, which the two countries entered with significantly different positions.

Middle Eastern diplomats see a chance for progress on Iran’s nuclear program, but they are pessimistic about other U.S. demands.

The announcement by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday came after hours of indications that the anticipated talks were faltering over changes in the format and content of the talks. U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, sent a blunt warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ahead of the talks.

After a round of indirect talks with Trump's envoys in Oman, Iran's top diplomat says the country will keep negotiating, but stresses a lack of trust.

As the Trump administration begins negotiations with Iran to avoid possible war, that number defines the diplomatic challenge. Zero is how much uranium President Trump says he would allow Iran to enrich — or refine into a potency suitable for nuclear bombs — under any deal to defuse the latest crisis between Washington and Tehran.