Negotiations between Iran and the United States over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program will return Saturday to the secluded sultanate of Oman, where experts on both sides will start hammering the technical details of any possible deal.

The three European powers, known as the E3, said in December they were ready to trigger a so-called "snap back" of all international sanctions on Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday he was ready to travel to Europe for talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, with France indicating European powers were also ready for dialogue if Tehran showed it was seriously engaged.