Defiant Iran says missile program non-negotiable after meeting with U.S.

Iran’s ballistic missile program was never on the table and was not up for negotiation during Friday’s high-stakes meeting between Iranian and U.S. officials, the Islamic republic’s chief diplomat said over the weekend.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led the Iranian delegation that met with White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and other American officials in Oman, told the news outlet Al Jazeera that Iran’s ballistic missile program was “never negotiable” during the talks.

The U.S. is pushing for limits on both Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the latter of which is one of the most advanced in the region despite suffering major setbacks from multiple rounds of Israeli military strikes on Iran last year

Mr. Araghchi told the outlet that the talks were a “good start” but signaled no major breakthroughs were made.

“There is a long way to go to build trust,” he said, according to Al Jazeera.

The talks in Oman were the first direct negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in months. The two sides held multiple meetings last year in an effort to reach a new deal limiting Iran’s nuclear program, but they failed to reach an agreement.

President Trump ordered strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites last June.

Mr. Trump has threatened more military action against Iran because of its brutal crackdown on domestic protests last month. Iran is believed to have killed thousands of demonstrators.

The U.S. dispatched fresh military assets to the region in preparation for a possible order from Mr. Trump for strikes. Those assets include the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, which last week shot down an Iranian drone that the Pentagon said “aggressively approached” the American vessel.

Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, joined Mr. Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner during the Oman talks with the Iranians. The admiral’s presence there seems intended to signal America’s willingness to strike Iran again if necessary.

Adm. Cooper also visited the Abraham Lincoln as it transited the Arabian Sea.

“I join the American people in expressing our incredible pride in the sailors and Marines of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group,” he said in a CENTCOM statement. “Their dedication to the mission and professionalism are on full display here in the Middle East as they demonstrate U.S. military readiness and strength.”

Iran was estimated to have had between 1,000 and 3,000 ballistic missiles last year, but that was before intense Israeli airstrikes deeply damaged the Iranian arsenal. A Defense Intelligence Agency report released last year said that Iran could field up to 60 intercontinental ballistic missiles by 2035.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington on Wednesday and meet with Mr. Trump at the White House to discuss the Iran talks, Mr. Netanyahu’s office said. Israel insists that Iran’s ballistic missile program be included in negotiations.

“The prime minister believes any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis,” Mr. Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, also referring to Iran’s support for groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Yemen’s Houthi rebels and others.

Mr. Trump described the U.S.-Iran talks as “very good” and said he believes Iran wants a deal.

Iranian President Masoud Pezechkian also struck a largely positive note.

“The Iran-U.S. talks, held through the follow-up efforts of friendly governments in the region, were a step forward. Dialogue has always been our strategy for peaceful resolution,” Mr. Pezechkian posted on X.