US President Donald Trump said over the weekend that Iran could initiate contact if it wanted to resume negotiations.

A senior Iranian official said Iran would not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a temporary ceasefire.

The question is whether the regime remains strong enough to quash an attempted uprising as it did in January, when it killed approximately 30,000 protesters.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington and Tehran remain far apart on several key issues and that no agreement was reached.

Such a conflict could evolve into a joint U.S.-Israeli operation significantly larger than previous confrontations.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi called the talks constructive, saying progress was made but 'much work remains ahead.'

The visit comes against the backdrop of mounting friction with Iran and discussions surrounding the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire framework.