The United States and Iran are set to hold talks in Oman on Friday as tensions in the Middle East escalate, with Tehran pushing to limit negotiations strictly to its nuclear program.

Axar.az, citing Financial Times, reports that Iran requested that the meeting be moved from Istanbul to Muscat and that talks be held bilaterally with the U.S. only, signaling its desire to revive the format of previous Oman-mediated nuclear discussions.

U.S. officials have agreed to the change of venue, though final details are still being confirmed. The talks are expected to involve U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Oman previously hosted indirect talks between the two sides before Israel launched a brief war against Iran last year, during which the U.S. also struck Iranian nuclear facilities.

The negotiations come amid heightened military tensions, including U.S. troop deployments to the region, an American jet downing an Iranian drone near a U.S. aircraft carrier, and Iranian threats to seize a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. While Washington wants Iran to curb uranium enrichment, missiles, and regional activities, Tehran insists only nuclear issues are negotiable and rejects demands to end enrichment altogether.