Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman on Friday, negotiations that appeared to be back at square one regarding how to approach discussions about Tehran's nuclear program. But for the first time, the U.S. brought its top military commander in the Middle East to the table.
The presence of Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, at the talks in Muscat, the Omani capital, served as a reminder that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships are now off the coast of Iran in the Arabian Sea.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to reach an agreement on its nuclear program after sending the aircraft carrier to the region following a crackdown on protests in the country, in which thousands of people were killed and tens of thousands more were arrested.
The Arab nations of the Persian Gulf fear that an attack could trigger a regional war that would also draw them in. Although the prospects for a peaceful negotiation look slim, it is up to the governments of the two opposed nations to forge a path forward.
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