Saudi Arabia and Iran Hold First Direct Nuclear Talks in a Decade

Saudi Arabia and Iran Hold First Direct Nuclear Talks in a Decade

Middle East & North Africa

Tuesday, June 3, 2026 — 10:00 AM local time

RIYADH/TEHRAN — Saudi Arabia and Iran held their first direct nuclear talks in more than a decade on Tuesday, with senior officials from both countries meeting in Riyadh under Omani and Iraqi mediation, according to three regional sources with direct knowledge of the discussions. The talks, described as preliminary, focused on Iran’s uranium enrichment program, constraints on its stockpile, and a potential framework for Saudi civilian nuclear cooperation with Western partners that would not include uranium enrichment on Saudi soil. The meeting comes three weeks after the US and Iran completed a third round of nuclear negotiations in Muscat, and reflects a broader shift in Gulf regional dynamics driven by the change in US posture toward de-escalation with Iran. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opened the meeting, according to one source, signaling the highest-level engagement between the two powers since their 2016 diplomatic rupture. The Iranian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Bagheri. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was “not informed” of the talks but was monitoring developments. Israel called the talks “a diplomatic mirage that changes nothing.” The European Union welcomed the development. Oil markets reacted with caution, with Brent holding near $117 per barrel.

Written by Layla Hassan, Middle East Correspondent