Updated on: February 27, 2026 / 4:14 PM EST / CBS News
Omani foreign minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, a key mediator in the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, tells "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan that he's confident "a peace deal is within our reach" between the U.S. and Iran as negotiators meet over Tehran's nuclear program. He also said, "I don't think any alternative to diplomacy is going to solve this problem."
MARGARET BRENNAN: And joining me now is the foreign minister of Oman Badr Albusaidi, who is the mediator negotiating a nuclear deal between the United States and Iran. Welcome to 'Face the Nation.'
OMANI FOREIGN MINISTER BADR ALBUSAIDI: Thank you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So President Trump said Friday he's not happy with the way talks are going, and not happy that they're "not willing to give us what we have to have." From your point of view, is diplomacy failing?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: I am confident, and in my assessment of the way the talks are going, I think there is, really I can see that the peace deal is within our reach.
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: Yes, is within our reach, if we just allow diplomacy the space it needs to get there. Because I don't think any alternative to diplomacy is going to solve this problem.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When you say space, does that mean you are asking for more time to continue negotiations?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: I'm asking to continue this process because we have already achieved quite a substantial progress in the direction of a deal. And the heart of this deal is very important, and I think we have captured that heart.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When you say the heart of the deal, Iran has said this has to be nuclear only. What have you actually agreed upon? Can you give us any sense of why there should be more time?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: Because if the ultimate objective is to ensure forever that Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, I think we have cracked that problem through these negotiations by agreeing a very important breakthrough that has never been achieved any time before. And I think if we can capture that and build on it, I think a deal is within our reach.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What has Iran agreed to, to you, that they have never done before? Can you give us any sense?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: The single most important achievement, I believe, is the agreement that Iran will never, ever have a nuclear material that will create a bomb. This is, I think, a big achievement. This is something that is not in the old deal that was negotiated during President Obama's time. This is something completely new. It really makes the enrichment argument less relevant, because now we are talking about zero stockpiling. And that is very, very important, because if you cannot stockpile material that is enriched then there is no way you can actually create a bomb, whether you enrich or don't enrich. And I think this is really something that has been missed a lot by the media, and I want to clarify that from the standpoint of a mediator.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So explain that. So the enriched material, things that could be used as nuclear fuel for a bomb, you're saying Iran would not keep on their own soil?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: They would give it up.
MARGARET BRENNAN: They would give it up?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: They will not be able to actually accumulate that material that will enable them to create a bomb--
BADR ALBUSAIDI: There is no accumulation, so there would be zero accumulation, zero stockpiling, and full verification. That is also equally important achievement, I think. Full and comprehensive verification by the IAEA, which is the agency in charge of this, this file.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The UN nuclear watchdog. So you're saying all enriched material would be shipped someplace else, not Russia but--
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: No, no, the current stockpiles that are- still exist--
MARGARET BRENNAN: The things that are still in Iran--
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: I think that there is agreement now that this will be down blended to the lowest level possible, to a neutral level, a natural level, which means- and converted into fuel, and that fuel will be irreversible.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That would be significant.
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: It is very significant. And I think we have agreement on that, in my view.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Because today, CBS confirmed a confidential report from the IAEA says inspectors report seeing Iran conducting nuclear- or conducting regular activity at bombed uranium enrichment sites. But Iran has refused to tell us what has happened to their stockpile, they have refused to allow UN inspectors in to look at it. Are you telling me that inspectors would be given access to these sites like at Isfahan?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: If there is a deal, an agreed deal, there will be full access.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Iran has offered that?
MARGARET BRENNAN: So who would these inspectors be? It would be UN? IAEA?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: IAEA, IAEA. But I think you know, there is room also, if there is a deal in place, I am quite confident, from my point of view, that even United States inspectors will have access at some point in the process. If we have a deal that is respected and fair and endurable, I see no reason why there is no access to be given, even to the United States itself.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Iran has never allowed American weapons inspectors on their soil. They wouldn't let President Obama do that. You think Iran will let President Trump send American inspectors into Iran?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: This is why I think this is a much, much better deal, because I think Iran is open to the idea in a way that- that- that never had been the case in the past.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You met with Vice President JD Vance, does he understand the details like you have laid out here? What did he say?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: I have explained to Vice President, and I really want to express my thanks and appreciation for the time and for his engagement and attention, and I have explained as much as possible and to the best possible of my ability, how I see the situation going, what is the assessment, what is our view as an independent mediator and observer and facilitator for these talks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did you get a sense that enough has been accomplished in these talks to convince America to hold off on strikes?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: I hope so. I think, I think we have, we have, we have really advanced substantially. And I think obviously there remains to be various details to be ironed out, and this is why we need a little bit more time to really try and accomplish the ultimate goal of having a comprehensive package of the deal that will, will have different components to it. And I'm not really in a position to go into the details of this, but the big picture is that a deal is in our hand, if we are only allowed the negotiators, and I believe both sides have been dead serious, very creative, very imaginative, to really to reach where we have reached so far.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did you get the sense that the vice president wants this deal to succeed?
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: Yes, I think even the president wants this deal to succeed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But the president has said that not enough is being done.
MINISTER ALBUSAIDI: Well, I don't know what he meant by that. I mean, I would love to respond to any specific areas that, that he's not happy about, of course. I mean, I sincerely think the President really is passionate, and he is really sincere about preferring the choice of diplomacy and have a diplomatic deal, a negotiated deal, than the alternative.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There are technical talks scheduled for Vienna next week with the head of the IAEA.
