Fact Check: Iranian officials admitted to The New York Times that they had only expected Israel to strike the country after another round of nuclear talks with the United States, which were scheduled for Sunday, October 29, 2023, in Muscat, Oman.

Fact Check: Iranian Officials Expected Israeli Strikes After Nuclear Talks

What We Know

Recent reports from senior Iranian officials indicate that they were caught off guard by Israel's military strikes, which occurred before a scheduled round of nuclear talks with the United States on October 29, 2023, in Muscat, Oman. According to The New York Times, Iranian leaders had anticipated an Israeli attack only if the nuclear negotiations failed. They believed that the timing of the strikes was a miscalculation on their part, as they did not expect Israel to act before the talks commenced. This sentiment was echoed by multiple officials who described the strikes as unexpected and attributed their lack of preparedness to complacency regarding the imminent threat from Israel.

The scheduled talks were ultimately canceled due to the escalating conflict, as confirmed by Oman's foreign minister and various news sources, including Reuters and The New York Times. Iranian officials expressed that the ongoing military actions rendered any diplomatic discussions meaningless, with statements from the Iranian Foreign Ministry emphasizing that they would not engage in talks while under attack.

Analysis

The claim that Iranian officials expected Israel to strike only after the nuclear talks is supported by credible sources. The New York Times article, which is based on interviews with several senior Iranian officials, provides a detailed account of their expectations and reactions to the Israeli strikes. The officials indicated that they had been preparing for an attack but did not foresee it happening before the negotiations, which they viewed as a critical moment for diplomacy.

The reliability of the sources is strong, particularly The New York Times, which has a long-standing reputation for thorough reporting and investigative journalism. The information is corroborated by multiple officials, which adds to its credibility. Additionally, the cancellation of the talks, as reported by both The New York Times and Reuters, aligns with the timeline of events and the Iranian leadership's response to the strikes.

However, it is essential to consider potential biases. The Iranian officials quoted may have reasons to downplay their own preparedness or to frame the narrative in a way that shifts blame away from their strategic miscalculations. Nonetheless, the consistency across multiple reports and the detailed nature of the accounts lend significant weight to the claim.

Conclusion

The claim that Iranian officials admitted to The New York Times that they had only expected Israel to strike after another round of nuclear talks is True. The evidence from credible sources indicates that Iranian leadership was indeed surprised by the timing of the Israeli attacks, which they had not anticipated before the scheduled diplomatic discussions.

Sources

1. A Miscalculation by Iran Led to Israeli Strikes' Extensive ...
2. Sunday's U.S.-Iran nuclear talks cancelled, Oman says
3. Next Round of Nuclear Talks Between U.S. and Iran Is Off
4. Live Updates: Iran Launches Missiles at Israel After Israeli ...
5. Oman confirms next round of US-Iran nuclear talks amid ...
6. 2025 United States–Iran negotiations
7. Iran cancels next round of nuclear talks with US after Israeli ...
8. Oman says US-Iran talks over Tehran's nuclear program '...