June 2025 – Israel engages in a brief 12‑day war with Iran, after which the United States carries out airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, causing the previously scheduled Oman nuclear talks to collapse and heightening regional tensions[3].

Dec 2025 – Nationwide anti‑government protests erupt across Iran; the regime begins a violent crackdown that later escalates, setting the stage for heightened U.S. diplomatic and military activity[4].

Jan 13, 2026 – President Donald Trump tells reporters that Iran wants to negotiate, while his team weighs cyber‑attacks or strikes in response to Tehran’s crackdown that activists estimate has killed at least 646 people; Oman’s foreign minister visits Iran as a mediator, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declares the situation “under total control” and blames Israel and the United States for the unrest[4].

Feb 4, 2026 – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announces that a bilateral nuclear‑only meeting will take place on Friday in Muscat, aiming to ease post‑crackdown tensions; he notes that the previous year’s Oman talks collapsed after Israel’s war and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites[3].

Feb 5, 2026 – In an NBC interview, President Trump warns Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that he “should be very worried,” while Tehran pushes for a “different” format that excludes missiles and human‑rights issues; regional leaders voice mixed positions, with Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian urging “fair and equitable” talks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding a broader agenda, Vice President JD Vance highlighting Khamenei’s refusal to speak directly with Trump, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calling for a diplomatic resolution[3].

Feb 6, 2026 – Indirect talks in Muscat commence, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi calls the meeting a “good beginning” focused exclusively on nuclear matters, while delegations agree to return to their capitals for further consultations; the U.S. delegation includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who seek to raise Iran’s ballistic‑missile program and proxy support, but Tehran rejects any limits on its missile arsenal and insists such demands breach its sovereignty[1].

Feb 6, 2026 – Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi says the talks clarify both Iranian and American thinking and identify possible progress, underscoring the diplomatic significance of the Muscat session[1].

Feb 6, 2026 – Tehran signals openness to a regional uranium‑enrichment consortium and to transferring its 400 kg stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country, while maintaining its stance against missile‑limit demands[1].

Feb 6, 2026 – The United States launches fresh sanctions targeting Iran’s energy sector—14 oil tankers, 15 trading firms and two executives—and issues an executive order that could impose a 25 % import tax on goods from countries buying Iranian oil, with the tariff slated to begin Saturday and removable if Iran aligns with U.S. security interests[2].

Feb 6, 2026 – A U.S. military buildup unfolds in the Middle East, featuring the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships in the Arabian Sea, as human‑rights groups estimate the recent Iranian crackdown has killed at least 6,941 people and led to over 50,000 arrests[1].

Feb 7, 2026 – U.S. Central Command’s top Middle East commander, Adm. Brad Cooper, attends the Muscat talks in dress uniform, highlighting the parallel naval deployment; President Trump declares the discussions “very good,” promises additional talks early next week, and warns that failure to reach a nuclear deal will bring “steep consequences”[2].

Feb 7, 2026 – Iran’s nuclear program reaches 60 % uranium enrichment—a short step from weapons‑grade—and Tehran continues to limit IAEA inspections after the 2018 U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, reinforcing concerns over its nuclear trajectory[2].

Feb 7, 2026 – The United States maintains its demand to discuss Iran’s ballistic‑missile program and support for the “Axis of Resistance” proxies, while Iran insists that any such demands infringe on its sovereignty, leaving the scope of a potential agreement uncertain[1].