British diplomats are quietly uncorking the champagne. Word from the Lobby is that the backchannel talks in Muscat have delivered something rare: a genuine step forward. Sources familiar with the negotiations describe the progress as “encouraging,” a word carefully chosen to avoid overpromising but laden with meaning for those who know how to read the tea leaves.
The talks, brokered by UK officials working in the shadows of Oman’s old souk, saw the US and Iranian delegations agree to a framework for further discussions. No one is calling it a deal. Not yet. But the fact that both sides walked away without walking out is being treated as a victory in King Charles Street.
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, has already tabled an urgent question. The government will have to tread carefully. Too much optimism invites accusations of naivety. Too little risks undermining the very mediators who made this happen.
Inside Number 10, the mood is described as “cautiously pleased.” The PM’s aides are briefing that this proves the UK’s ability to punch above its weight post-Brexit. But the real test will come when the US and Iran sit down for round two. The details of the framework remain closely guarded. Leaks suggest it covers a phased approach to uranium enrichment and sanctions relief, but nothing is signed.
Conservative backbenchers are already sharpening their knives. The ERG faction is wary of any deal that smells of appeasement. One senior Tory told me: “We’ve seen this movie before. The Iranians will take any concession and give nothing back.”
But the diplomats in the room tell a different story. They speak of substantive exchanges, not just posturing. The Iranian side, they say, came prepared to negotiate. That alone is a shift.
For now, the watchword is “progress.” But in this game, progress can vanish overnight. The Whitehall machine will now work overtime to ensure the next round doesn’t collapse. If it does, the mediators will be blamed. If it succeeds, they’ll be forgotten. Such is the fate of the diplomat.
Watch this space. The real work starts now.