The US and Iran have threatened one another with strikes over recent weeks – and expectations of a breakthrough during Friday’s discussions are low.

Iranian and American officials will kick off face-to-face talks in Oman today, following weeks of threatened military action by Donald Trump.

The US is sending its Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to the Muscat summit, where he will meet with Tehran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi.

It comes amid a continued American naval build-up near Iran, which Mr Trump has described as an “armada”.

He has repeatedly threatened to take military action since the Iranian regime launched a bloody crackdown against protesters who took to the streets of cities across the country last month.