US and Iran Resume Nuclear Talks Amid Rapid Rebuilding of Damaged Sites

Indirect nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran have resumed in Oman, taking place against a complex backdrop of rapidly reconstructed nuclear facilities and evolving diplomatic positions from both nations.

Recent satellite imagery analyzed by The New York Times reveals that Iran has already begun rebuilding many of the nuclear and missile facilities damaged during Operation Midnight Hammer—the joint U.S. and Israeli strikes conducted just over seven months ago. Experts examining roughly two dozen targeted locations found construction activity at more than half the sites, with new buildings visibly rising at several facilities.

The imagery demonstrates Iran’s determination to restore its damaged infrastructure quickly, though analysts caution that satellite observations only capture above-ground activities. Questions remain about what operations might be continuing underground, beyond the view of surveillance satellites.

These rebuilding efforts form the complicated context for the latest round of nuclear talks held in Oman. The negotiations, mediated by Omani officials, produced no formal agreement but did clarify the positions of both sides. According to Al Jazeera reporting, Iranian representatives indicated willingness to reduce uranium enrichment levels and permit expanded inspections of nuclear facilities in exchange for substantial sanctions relief.

For Iran, economic considerations appear paramount in its negotiating position. The country has specifically emphasized the importance of removing restrictions on its oil exports, framing nuclear concessions as a necessary path toward economic recovery after years of crippling sanctions.

However, Tehran has established clear boundaries around what it considers negotiable. The Institute for the Study of War reports that Iranian officials have declared their ballistic missile program and regional alliances off-limits in the talks. This stance effectively protects Iran’s relationships with proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah from becoming bargaining chips in nuclear negotiations.

Iran’s nuclear ambitions trace back to the 1950s, according to the Congressional Research Service. By the mid-1970s, U.S. officials had already begun expressing concerns that Tehran might eventually pursue nuclear weapons. Throughout the decades since, American and international monitoring agencies have maintained that while Iran has not launched a formal nuclear weapons program, it has methodically developed technical capabilities that could be redirected toward producing nuclear armaments if political leaders made that decision.

This technical distinction remains crucial to understanding the current situation. While international inspectors have found no evidence of Iran directly assembling nuclear bombs, the country has invested heavily in uranium enrichment infrastructure and related nuclear technologies that significantly compress the timeline to potential weaponization.

The Council on Foreign Relations assesses that Iran now stands closer than ever to nuclear weapons capability from a technical perspective. The country has already enriched uranium to approximately 60 percent purity—well below the roughly 90 percent required for weapons-grade material but far exceeding levels needed for civilian energy production. U.S. and international analysts believe Iran could produce enough weapons-grade material within weeks or even days if it chose to do so, though converting that material into a functional nuclear weapon would involve additional technical challenges and require more time.

The current talks represent the latest chapter in the long-running diplomatic effort to address Iran’s nuclear program through negotiation rather than military action. Despite Operation Midnight Hammer’s reported success in temporarily degrading Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, the rapid rebuilding efforts demonstrate the limitations of military solutions without accompanying diplomatic agreements.

As negotiations continue, both sides face difficult compromises. The United States seeks verifiable limits on Iran’s nuclear activities, while Iran demands sanctions relief that would revitalize its struggling economy. Whether these indirect talks in Oman will lead to more substantive negotiations remains uncertain, but the stakes—regional stability and nuclear nonproliferation—could hardly be higher.