Secret Talks Preceded Iran Nuclear Deal

Well, of course. Is there anything that doesn't involve secret talks anymore?

Secretary of State John Kerry passed a secret message to Iran during a visit to Oman last May in an effort to improve relations and encourage talks on Iran's nuclear program, according to American officials.

Mr. Kerry conveyed the message to the sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said, who has long served as a conduit for American communications with the government in Tehran.

It was not the first time that Mr. Kerry has used this channel.

With the support of the Obama administration, Mr. Kerry made an unannounced trip to Oman when he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to see if the sultan would facilitate a dialogue between the United States and Iran.