Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he hoped talks with the United States could resume soon, while U.S. President Donald Trump promised another round of talks next week following mediation discussions in Oman.

Araghchi told Al Jazeera on Saturday that Iran’s missile program was “never open to negotiation” during Friday’s talks and warned that Tehran would target U.S. military bases in the Middle East if the U.S. attacked Iranian territory.

He added that although the negotiations in Muscat were indirect, “there was an opportunity to shake hands with the American delegation.” The content of the meeting was “a good start“, but he insisted that “there is still a long way to go to build trust.”

However, Iranians in the capital, Tehran, seemed less enthusiastic.

“I think, like on previous occasions, the talks will end in vain because both sides are sticking to their positions and are unwilling to give in,” one woman, who requested anonymity, told Al Jazeera.

Abdullah al-Shaji, an expert on U.S. foreign policy at Kuwait University, said he hopes the two foes can reach a new deal, but he is not optimistic.

The United States “took a hard line” and was “provoked by Israel” to “crack down on the Iranians because they believed Iran was at its weakest point,” making it easy to force concessions from Iran, especially after last month’s events. anti-government demonstrations” Shaij told an Al Jazeera forum in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

“inalienable rights”

Although Trump on Friday called the talks “very good,” he signed an executive order effective Saturday calling for “tariffs” on countries still doing business with Iran.

The United States also announced new sanctions on numerous shipping entities and vessels aimed at curbing Iran’s oil exports.

According to the World Trade Organization, more than a quarter of Iran’s trade is with China, of which imports will reach $18 billion and exports will reach $14.5 billion by 2024.

Araghchi said nuclear enrichment was Iran’s “inalienable right and must continue,” adding, “We are ready to reach a reassuring agreement on the enrichment issue. The Iranian nuclear issue can only be resolved through negotiations.”

He said Iran’s missile program was non-negotiable because it involved “defense issues.”

According to media reports, Washington has been seeking to address Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for armed groups in the region – issues that Israel has pushed to be included in the talks.

Tehran has repeatedly refused to expand talks beyond the nuclear issue.

“The Iranians are strongly opposed to any concessions,” as is the United States, making it difficult for the country leading the mediation effort “to bring them closer together,” Shaigui said.

Friday’s talks were the first since nuclear talks between Iran and the United States collapsed last year after Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran. 12 days of war.

Trump has stepped up threats against Iran following widespread anti-government protests last month. Deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the Middle East.

“Peace through strength”

Trump’s chief negotiator in Oman, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and presidential adviser Jared Kushner visited the aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea on Saturday.

Witkopf said in a social media post that the carrier and its strike group were “keeping us safe and upholding President Trump’s message of peace through strength.”

Witkov said he spoke with the pilot who shot down an Iranian drone that approached the carrier “without clear intent” on Tuesday.

“I’m proud to stand with those who stand guard every day to defend our interests, deter our adversaries and demonstrate America’s readiness and resolve to the world,” Witkopf said.

While Trump has sought to use the carrier deployment as a means of putting pressure on Iran, Shegui said it was unlikely to be a long-term strategy.

“He (Trump) cannot keep his troops on alert for too long. It would really discredit the Trump administration for being very harsh and tough on Iran,” he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Trump on Wednesday to discuss Iran negotiations, his office said in a statement.

Netanyahu “believes that any negotiations must include an axis of limits on ballistic missiles and an end to support for Iran,” the statement said, referring to Iran’s allies in the region.

During the 12-day war, U.S. warplanes bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Araghchi expressed the hope that Washington would refrain from exerting “threats and pressure” so that “negotiations can continue.”