News | Araghchi travels to Oman for indirect nuclear talks with U.S. / China: We have no intention to enter arms race

Pars Today – Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, arrived in Muscat, the capital of Oman, to take part in (indirect) nuclear talks with the U.S. delegation.

According to Pars Today, citing IRNA, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, arrived at Muscat International Airport in the early hours of Friday, February 6, where he was welcomed by Omani officials.

The new round of Iran–U.S. nuclear talks, as announced by Iran’s foreign minister, is scheduled to be held on Friday morning in Muscat, the capital of Oman.

According to U.S. officials, Steve Witkoff, the U.S. President’s Special Envoy and Representative for West Asia, along with Jared Kushner, son-in-law and adviser to Donald Trump, will lead the talks with Iran on behalf of the United States. Witkoff had arrived in Muscat several hours prior to the arrival of the Iranian delegation.

This round of Iran–U.S. nuclear talks is being held at a time when the United States’ military buildup in the region, along with threats and allegations leveled against Iran, has put regional security at risk.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is returning to the negotiating table with the United States while bearing in mind the experience of five previous rounds of talks with Washington, which ultimately came to a halt following military attacks by the Israeli regime and the United States on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities. As a result, the issue of trust constitutes Iran’s most serious challenge in this round of negotiations.

These talks have also been accompanied by extensive speculation over the past week and, at one point, even came close to being canceled.

Lavrov dismisses claims of a possible Russian attack on Europe as baseless

As tensions between Russia and Europe continue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described claims about a potential Russian attack on European countries as unfounded, attributing them to a lack of historical awareness.

Responding to remarks by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius—who had earlier said that Europe should be prepared for a possible war with Russia by 2029 or 2030—Lavrov stressed: “I don’t know whom they are trying to convince that Russia intends to attack.”

The Russian foreign minister also emphasized that a basic understanding of history is enough to prevent such ideas from taking hold.

Cuban president: We are ready to defend against any potential aggression

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, referring to the growing threats by the United States against his country, stated that Havana is fully prepared to confront any possible aggression.

Speaking at a press conference, Díaz-Canel said that Cuba’s defense plans have been updated based on the experience of recent international conflicts. While noting that Havana is ready to engage in dialogue with the United States on any issue, he stressed that dialogue under pressure is not possible and that any talks must take place without preconditions, without coercion, and with full respect for Cuba’s sovereignty.

UNRWA urgently calls for the delivery of halted aid to Gaza

In a development from West Asia, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said in a statement that, in light of the unprecedented deterioration of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, it has called on the Israeli regime’s authorities to urgently authorize the transfer of the agency’s aid consignments that are currently stockpiled in warehouses in Egypt and Jordan.

The agency emphasized that vital assistance is ready for delivery, but the prolonged obstruction of the entry of goods has brought humanitarian relief for civilians to a standstill.

China: Beijing has no intention of entering an arms race

The spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Beijing maintains its nuclear arsenal at the minimum level necessary and has no intention of entering an arms race.

Lin Jian said at a press briefing that China has always adopted a highly cautious and responsible approach to issues related to nuclear weapons. He added that China has consistently adhered to a defensive nuclear strategy, observed a no-first-use policy on nuclear weapons, and made an unconditional commitment not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones.