Mediator Remains Optimistic on US-Iran Ceasefire Prospects
Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi has emphasised that diplomatic channels between the United States and Iran remain open, despite heightened tensions following major military campaigns by the US and Israel.
“I want to reaffirm very clearly: the door to diplomacy remains open,” Albusaidi stated via X on Monday (2 March 2026).
According to Albusaidi, previous negotiations held in Geneva have demonstrated significant progress. “The talks in Geneva have achieved real progress towards an unprecedented agreement between Iran and the United States,” he said.
He added that whilst the primary hope is to avoid war, conflict should not extinguish peace opportunities.
“I still believe in the power of diplomacy to resolve this conflict,” Albusaidi said.
Regional tensions have escalated following reported US and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Tehran launched a barrage of missiles and drones targeting Israeli territory and several locations in the Persian Gulf region.
On Sunday (1 March 2026), Albusaidi also pressed for ceasefire efforts during a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Oman has long been recognised as playing a key mediation role in efforts to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iran’s National Security Council head Ali Larijani rejected any notion of negotiations with the US.
This assertion was made via X to counter reporting from the Wall Street Journal, cited by Al Jazeera, stating that Larijani’s initiative to continue talks with Washington was proposed through intermediaries from the Sultanate of Oman.
“We will not negotiate with the United States,” Larijani wrote on Monday (2 March 2026).
Larijani wrote that Trump has plunged the region into chaos with his “fanciful delusions” and now fears further casualties amongst American forces.
“With his fanciful actions, he has transformed the ‘America First’ slogan he created into ‘Israel First’ and sacrificed American troops for Israel’s power-hungry ambitions,” he said.
According to him, Trump has burdened American troops and families with the cost of his own character assassination.
“Currently, the Iranian nation is defending itself. Iran’s armed forces did not initiate that aggression,” he asserted.