U.S. and Iranian officials held indirect discussions in Oman about the risks of a larger war

Senior American and Iranian officials held talks through mediators in Oman last week, the first such talks since Iran launched a retaliatory attack on Israel with hundreds of missiles and drones last month, according to a person familiar with the recent meetings.

Brett McGurk, the senior White House Middle East official, and Abram Paley, the deputy special envoy for Iran, attended the talks in Oman. The aim was to persuade Iran, which supplies militias in the Middle East with weapons and training, to keep its partners in check. Since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out, several Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria have stepped up their attacks on American troops, raising fears of a larger war.

The most powerful of the regional militias, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, is engaged in a shootout with the Israeli military in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. However, US intelligence officials believe that neither Hezbollah nor Iran want to wage a major war.

The United States has not had diplomatic relations with Iran since 1979 and talks are often conducted through intermediaries and back channels. The format of the talks in Oman was similar to those in January: The Americans sat in one room while their Iranian counterparts sat in another, and Omani officials shuttled between the rooms. The new talks were first reported by Axios.

Iran carried out the retaliatory attack last month with more than 300 missiles and drones after Israel killed Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a commander in Iran’s Quds Force, in an attack on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus. Iran equated this to an attack on Iranian soil and responded with its first direct attack on Israeli territory.

The armed forces of the United States and Israel worked with those of several European and Arab allies and partners to thwart the attack.

For years, Israel has attacked Iranian forces and partner militias in Syria, where the government is allied with Iran. This “shadow war” is now an open conflict.

Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said in a press conference this week that “the threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel, regional stability and American interests is clear.”

“We are working with Israel and other partners to protect ourselves from these threats and prevent escalation into all-out regional war through a balanced combination of diplomacy, deterrence, force adjustments and the use of force when necessary to protect and “It is necessary to defend our people.” “Our interests and our allies,” he added.

Mr. Sullivan was expected to travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel this weekend to discuss issues related to the war between Israel and Hamas. a potentially comprehensive diplomatic and security agreement between the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel; and the threat from Iran.