S2 E7 | Bridge or War: U.S. and Iran in Oman

A negotiation is unfolding quietly in Muscat, and it may define the next chapter of the Middle East, or simply postpone the next crisis.

In this episode of The Diplomat, Joe Kawly speaks with Ambassador Dennis Ross, Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute, and one of the most experienced American diplomats of the modern era, about what is really happening beneath the surface of the U.S.–Iran talks.

Ross lays out the core clash: Washington’s push for zero enrichment; Tehran’s insistence that enrichment stays. He explains why public messaging may not match private positions, how deadlines and force posture shape the room, and what could trigger unintended escalation even if neither side wants a long war.

We also look beyond the nuclear file, because sanctions relief is never just technical. It touches missiles, proxies, regional stability, and the credibility of deterrence itself.

The key question: is Muscat a bridge to a framework, or simply a holding pattern until something breaks?

What is The Diplomat | ديبلومات?

In the rooms where war, peace, and power are decided, words matter most. The Diplomat brings you raw conversations with ambassadors, envoys, and negotiators who shaped the hardest decisions in U.S. foreign policy and Middle East diplomacy. Hosted by Joe Kawly. Recorded from Washington. Produced by Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN).

Joe Kawly brings extensive experience from conflict zones in the Middle East to the power corridors of Washington. As a journalist, he’s seen how words can escalate a crisis or open the door to peace. A Georgetown graduate and former CNN Journalism Fellow, he’s known for connecting the dots others miss, so people don’t just hear what happened, they understand why it matters. As producer and host of The Diplomat, Joe brings clarity to diplomacy and politics, one conversation at a time.