The vibes coming out of the first round of nuclear talks between Iran and the US are surprisingly positive — at least for the sides that engaged in them, if not for other interested parties.

US lead negotiator Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke in person shortly after Saturday’s talks wrapped up. Araghchi himself acknowledged the face-to-face meeting, despite Iran insisting earlier in the week that there would be no direct talks between the sides in Oman.

The Iranian diplomat also went out of his way to note that the talks took place in a “productive and positive atmosphere.”

The White House echoed Araghchi’s characterization of the negotiations.

Most significantly, the two adversaries agreed to keep the talks going, with a second meeting scheduled for this Saturday, apparently back in Oman.

The talks are still quite preliminary. But the reactions indicate that both sides want an agreement, a development that would present significant challenges for Israel.

Iran’s willingness to talk marks a sharp change from its recent rhetoric.

Last month, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian promised that he wouldn’t talk to US negotiators: “It is unacceptable for us that they give orders and make threats. I won’t even negotiate with you. Do whatever the hell you want.”

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the decision-maker on nuclear talks, told a group of university students that Trump’s offer for talks was “a deception.”

Weeks later, the Iranians are singing a different tune.

Many experts aren’t surprised by Tehran’s willingness to engage in negotiations.

“Iran has shown that it’s always happy to talk,” said Blaise Misztal, vice president for policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. “I don’t think Iran talking is really anything out of the ordinary.”

“Iran feels like it can negotiate the heck out of any situation with the United States,” explained Ori Goldberg, an Israeli expert on Iran and Shia Islam.

“The people in power in Iran right now are people who were always pro-negotiations,” he noted.

Araghchi, for instance, was a key player in the negotiations that led to the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5 1 countries, which include the US.

“Iran is aware of the consequences of failure and the consequences of any move towards weaponizing its nuclear program,” said Kelsey Davenport, director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association Iran.

Trump has been making sure that Iran knows the price of the talks falling through. Last week, when Trump surprised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by announcing talks with Iran that would begin on the coming Saturday, he also issued a stark warning that if the talks were unsuccessful, “Iran is going to be in great danger.”

Yet Davenport doesn’t believe the threats are behind Tehran’s willingness to talk to the Americans: “Iran is at the negotiating table........

© The Times of Israel