Tehran said on Saturday that Iran and the United States had “productive” senior-level talks in Oman to settle disagreements over Iran’s rapidly expanding nuclear programme. The talks, aided by Omani mediation, represented the most serious interaction between the two rivals since the breakdown of the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump’s negotiator Steve Witkoff headed their respective delegations. While the meeting was technically indirect, the two exchanged a short face-to-face discussion during the Muscat session, according to reports. Araghchi said both sides were on the verge of a “basis for negotiations” and hoped progress would be made in the next round scheduled for next Saturday.

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I think we are quite close to having a framework for serious talks,” Araghchi said on Iranian state TV. “The American side also indicated that an agreement can be reached but it will depend on serious effort from both sides.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that the talks were held in an “constructive and respectful” atmosphere. The Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi served as the facilitator, passing messages between the delegations, who were seated in different halls.

The negotiations follow increasing tensions, with President Trump warning of the use of military force if there is no agreement. The US is demanding that Iran stop its nuclear program, while Iran wants relief from debilitating sanctions that have devastated its economy. Tehran has also been shaken by the effects of Israeli military strikes against its regional allies, Hezbollah and Hamas.

This is the most senior level of contact between Tehran and Washington since Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear agreement in his first term. Araghchi underscored that both parties are keen on avoiding long and meaningless talks.

“Our intention is clear,” he said. “We do not seek endless negotiations. If both parties are sincere, we can make significant progress.”