Tehran: Iran said on Friday that despite increasing pressure on Washington, Iran has a “real” opportunity in nuclear talks with the U.S. in Oman.

Long-term rivals of Iran and the United States will hold talks in Muscat on Saturday aimed at a potential nuclear deal. President Donald Trump announced Monday that his administration would negotiate with Iran.

“We give diplomacy an opportunity to be a real honest and full vigilance. The United States should appreciate this decision, and despite their hostile rhetoric, it was made.”

The talks were chaired by our special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Trump said the negotiations would be “direct”, but Aragic insisted that they would be “indirect”.

Before the planned meeting, Washington continued its “maximum pressure” policy on Iran, recently targeting its oil network and nuclear program.

Trump said on Wednesday that military operations against Iran would be “absolutely” if negotiations fail to reach a deal.

On Thursday, Ali Shamkhani, senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned that the threat could prompt measures, including the deportation of UN nuclear inspectors from Iran.

Washington responded that such a move would be “an escalation and miscalculation for Iran.”

Saturday’s talks came after a letter from Trump to Khamenei last month, urging negotiations and warning that action might be taken if Tehran refuses.

Tehran responded a few weeks later, saying it was open to indirect negotiations and that the possibility of direct negotiations would be rejected as long as the United States maintains its “maximum pressure” policy.

Bazi said Iran will “neither prejudice nor predict” before negotiations.

“We intend to assess the intention and seriousness of the other party on Saturday and adjust our next steps accordingly,” Baqaei said.