Pakistan, Feb. 5 -- The decision by the United States and Iran to hold nuclear talks in Oman this week comes after several days of uncertainty about both the venue and the format. Initial plans had pointed to Istanbul, with regional states, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Oman and the UAE, expected to attend as observers. Tehran's subsequent insistence on shifting the talks to Muscat and narrowing them to a bilateral setting underscores the limits both sides place on outside scrutiny.

According to officials, Iran wants the discussions confined strictly to its nuclear programme. Ballistic missiles and regional activities are to remain off the table. U.S. officials, meanwhile, continue to argue that Iran's nuclear advances ...