As U.S.–Iran talks quietly resumed in Oman, controversy erupted over reports that Washington brought its top Middle East commander into the room. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran “firmly stated” any military presence at the talks was unacceptable, insisting negotiations stay strictly nuclear—no missiles, no proxies, no generals. Yet even while Trump hails the discussions as “very good,” he’s sending a carrier strike group, new tariffs and fresh shipping sanctions Iran’s way. Is this diplomacy, gunboat theatre, or both at once?
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