Muscat: Negotiations concerning Iran's nuclear program will occur this Friday in Muscat, Oman, as confirmed by a White House official speaking to Anadolu. The confirmation follows previous uncertainty surrounding the talks amid resistance from Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has affirmed the discussions will commence at 10 am local time. Earlier, the US news outlet Axios reported that Washington firmly declined Tehran's proposals to alter the location or format of the meeting, setting a definitive stance on proceeding as planned.

According to Anadolu Agency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has commended recent progress by Azerbaijan and Armenia towards achieving lasting peace. In a video message during the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity 2026 program, Erdogan highlighted the positive impact of these steps, emphasizing the importance of the agreement reached last August. He expressed hope that this development would pave the way for a new era in the Caucasus, while also congratulating Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on receiving this year's awards.

In other international relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged caution from the United States regarding arms sales to Taiwan. During a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Xi underlined Taiwan as a critical issue in China-US relations, stressing Beijing's commitment to maintaining its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Despite the US approving a significant arms package for Taiwan in December, Xi has called for a steady and mutually respectful advancement in bilateral relations between the two nations.