The United States has been engaged in secret talks with Iran this year, aiming to persuade Tehran to use its influence over Yemen's Houthi movement to halt attacks on ships in the Red Sea, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
These indirect negotiations, held in Oman in January, marked the first interaction between the two adversaries in 10 months. The US delegation was led by Brett McGurk, the White House's Middle East adviser, and Abram Paley, the Iran envoy, while Iran was represented by Ali Bagheri Kani, the deputy foreign minister and top nuclear negotiator.
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The talks highlight the Biden administration's dual-track approach of employing diplomatic channels alongside military deterrents to de-escalate regional hostilities involving Iranian-backed militant groups, the newspaper reported.
Video: Israeli military steps up strikes on Hamas in Gaza's Khan Younis / Credit: IDF
The US, according to the report, seeks to convey to Iran what it needs to do to "prevent a wider conflict," officials familiar with the matter said. A second round of negotiations was scheduled for February but postponed due to McGurk's involvement in brokering an Israel-Hamas agreement, it continued.
Since October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, sparking the war, Iran-backed groups like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi militias have intensified attacks on US naval vessels, merchant shipping, and American forces in Iraq and Syria.
The US has accused Tehran of supplying the Houthis with drones, missiles, and intelligence for their shipping attacks, although Iran maintains the rebels act independently. There have been signs of Iran seeking to ease tensions, such as withdrawing Revolutionary Guards commanders from Syria after a drone strike killed US troops.
While the ultimate goal for Iran is to drive American forces out of Iraq and Syria, Tehran has made clear it wants to avoid direct conflict with the US or Israel. The Houthis, however, have continued attacking shipping despite US and UK strikes on their facilities. US officials acknowledge that military action alone will not deter the Houthis, and believe Iran will ultimately need to pressure the group to curb its activities. Additionally, concerns over Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran continues to advance, were a focus of the talks.
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