US and Iran to hold nuclear talks in Oman amid heightened tension

Nuclear talks between the United States and Iran are expected to take place in Oman on Friday, with a possible confrontation looming as U.S. President Donald Trump builds up forces in the Middle East.



Trump has warned that "bad things" ⁠would probably happen if a deal could not be reached, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic in a standoff that has led to mutual threats of air strikes and stirred fears of escalation into a ⁠wider war.



Iran has said it will not make concessions on its formidable ballistic missile programme, calling that a red line in negotiations.



The Trump administration agreed to an Iranian request to move the talks from Turkey and negotiations are still ongoing about whether Arab and Muslim countries from the region will join the talks in Oman,



Meanwhile, the U.S. military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that "aggressively" approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.