The controversy over the location, the worrying field incidents, and Israel’s hardline stance left negative effects on the plans to hold negotiations between the United States and Iran on Friday. Everything seemed to be falling apart.

Contrary to expectations that a round of negotiations would take place between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Istanbul, Turkiyë, Iran requested that the talks be held in the Sultanate of Oman. Behind Iran’s position is the good relationship between Tehran and Muscat, which has long played a mediating role between the U.S. and Iran during the most critical periods of U.S.-Iranian relations.

Symbolically, Iran wants negotiations to take place where the sixth round of indirect talks had been planned, a round which was derailed by the Israel-U.S. war in June. However, some reports suggest the U.S. has refused to move the location.

Another issue Iran objected to was the participation of multiple regional parties in the planned negotiations, insisting that the talks be bilateral and limited in scope. The multi-party negotiations had been intended to address U.S. concerns about Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for regional allies. Iran, however, insists that the negotiations be limited to the nuclear program and the lifting of U.S. sanctions.

When Trump referred on Tuesday to negotiations “currently taking place” with Iran, he likely meant the ongoing discussions about the issues to be raised in the meeting between Araghchi, Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, the U.S. President’s son-in-law. This aligns with remarks by Iranian National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani that the country is “engaging in serious talks” with the Americans.

It has also become clear that Israel’s stance is becoming more hardline. This was the essence of the statement issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office following Witkoff’s visit, affirming that “Iran cannot be trusted.”

According to Israeli media, Netanyahu’s conditions include preventing any uranium enrichment, removing the enriched stockpile from Iran, stopping Iran’s missile program, and ending its support for allies in the region. Israel’s Channel 12 went further, citing sources that intensive Israeli efforts are underway to prevent a U.S.-Iran agreement. This means Israel still prefers the overthrow of the Iranian regime over making any deal with it.

In a region crowded with U.S. military reinforcements and a corresponding Iranian mobilization, a field incident triggered fears of a security event that could escalate into a broader confrontation due to miscalculations. For example, an Iranian drone was shot down after approaching the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, sailing 500 miles off Iran’s southern coast, while Iranian boats attempted to intercept a U.S. oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

Recent developments in positions have revived the tense atmosphere. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that any serious talks between the U.S. and Iran must include Tehran’s missile arsenal and other issues.

The news site Axios reported, citing U.S. officials, that plans for U.S.-Iran negotiations have collapsed.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Annahar.