Omani FM flying to Washington amid fears that US is gearing up for war on Iran

Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al-Busaidi is expected to meet US officials in Washington on Friday for talks on Iran, a day after mediating indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Geneva.

According to the White House, Al-Busaidi will discuss recent Oman-brokered indirect talks between Washington and Tehran with Vice President JD Vance and other senior officials "in an effort to avoid war with Iran". President Donald Trump will not attend the meeting.

The diplomatic visit follows Al-Busaidi’s mediation of talks between the two sides on Iran's nuclear programme that he described as showing "significant progress", in a last-minute effort to avert war.

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed that sentiment, saying the negotiations were "good" and marked "the most intense" discussions to date, although the US has not yet issued a statement on Thursday’s negotiations in Geneva, which involved special envoy Steve Witkoff and advisor Jared Kushner.

Neither side has announced an agreement, suggesting the Geneva talks ended without a breakthrough, with reports that Trump was briefed by the US military on potential options for military action against Iran.

According to the report, US Central Command presented possible military scenarios to the president and his top advisers, even though Trump has not sought congressional authorisation for a strike.

Sources told ABC News that Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Iran’s insistence on separating "nuclear and non-nuclear issues", leaving major gaps unresolved on its nuclear programme and Washington's desire to restrict Tehran's missile programme and proxy forces.

It remains unclear whether the military briefing occurred before or after the Geneva talks.

Speaking to The Washington Post aboard Air Force Two on Thursday evening, Vice President Vance said there was "no chance" that US strikes on Iran would lead to a prolonged war in the Middle East.

He emphasised that "we all prefer the diplomatic solution", adding that he remains "sceptical of foreign military interventions".

The discussions come amid a large-scale buildup of US forces and military assets in the region, coinciding with the end of Trump’s two-week ultimatum for Iran to reach a deal, warning of "really bad things" if diplomacy fails.

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier left the coast of Crete on Thursday and arrived near Israel on Friday.

Additional US refuelling tankers are also heading to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.

Several Republican figures and administration officials reportedly urged Trump to consider having Israel carry out any initial strike against Iran.

On Friday, the US Department of State authorised the departure of "non-emergency US government personnel" and their families from Israel, citing safety risks.

Heavy security presence was subsequently reported around the US Embassy on Friday afternoon, with residents suggesting a helicopter could be heard overhead.

As a precaution amid soaring US-Iran tensions, multiple other countries have likewise issued regional travel advisories, including by urging their citizens to leave Iran and avoid all travel to the country.

Countires include the UK, France, Lebanon, China and multiple European states.

Despite the tensions, Oman expressed cautious optimism on Thursday, announcing that technical talks would resume on Monday in Vienna "after consultations in the respective capitals".