The New York Times reported that the United States and Iran held secret talks in Oman amid volatile tensions in the Middle East.
The talks were aimed at de-escalating the situation in the Red Sea and Gaza, where Israel has been involved in military operations for almost six months now.
The report mentions that the secret talks were held in January when the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea were frequently targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Both Parties Exchanged Concerns
The New York Times report suggests that both the US and Iranian officials expressed concerns over each other’s incoherent policies.
The Biden administration was represented by its Middle East czar, Brett McGurk, who held talks with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani.
The US pressed Iran over its support for militias in Iraq and Yemen. Iran denied controlling the proxies and instead pushed for a ceasefire in Gaza, the report claimed.
Attacks on US bases and commercial ships in the Red Sea have killed and injured dozens of US soldiers since October 7.
