Notwithstanding the fall of Bashir al-Assad in December 2024, with the West celebrating this as a major defeat for Tehran, Iran had strengthened its military capabilities, thanks in part to Russian assistance. Iran’s relationship with both Russia and China has expanded and deepened during the last three years. Iran’s Foreign Minister was in Moscow today, meeting with President Putin, to discuss the planned Saturday talks with the US delegation in Oman.Iran’s chief concern at this time is trying to assess whether or not Witkoff’s position, as presented last Saturday, has fundamentally shifted. Initially, Witkoff signaled that the US was willing to accept a cap on Iran’s uranium enrichment—referencing the 3.67% limit from the 2015 deal—rather than demanding the complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program, a stance more in line with Israel’s demands. However, within days of returning to Washington, Witkoff publicly reversed course, stating that any final deal must require Iran to “stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.” Is this the new US position or was this just political posturing by Witkoff in order to placate Zionist critics?
