Rome: The United States and Iran wrapped up a second round of crucial talks on Tehran’s nuclear program in Rome on Saturday, with plans to reconvene in a week, as per the Iranian foreign ministry. The discussions, facilitated by Oman, took place in Rome for about four hours and were described as “constructive” by Iranian state television.
“The two sides have agreed to resume indirect talks at a technical level over the next few days and then continue with senior negotiators next Saturday, April 26,” said Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.
The third round of talks is scheduled to be held in Oman, where the initial dialogue took place a week ago.
This marks the first high-level discussions between the US and Iran since President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear accord in 2018. The US and other Western countries have long accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim that Tehran vehemently denies, stating that its nuclear program is for peaceful civilian purposes.
Images shown on state TV featured Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in Rome, with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff also expected to participate. Araghchi later described the meeting as productive, stating that they made progress and reached a better understanding on various principles and goals.
He emphasized that the nuclear issue was the main topic of discussion during the talks. Baqaei mentioned that the delegations were in separate rooms at the Omani ambassador’s residence, with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi serving as the intermediary.
The US and Iran have had no diplomatic relations since Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution. Trump reinstated sanctions against Iran upon returning to office in January, following his “maximum pressure” campaign. In March, he sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging renewed nuclear talks while warning of military action if diplomacy fails.
Iran’s seriousness during the talks was noted by Araghchi after the first round, but he questioned the intentions and motivations of the US. Tehran approached the talks with a clear understanding and past experiences in mind.
The leader of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, is expected to visit Moscow soon to discuss international and regional matters with President Vladimir Putin.
‘Crucial stage’
In an interview with French newspaper Le Monde, the UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi stated that Iran is close to possessing a nuclear bomb. During Trump’s first term, the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran.
Tehran complied with the deal for a year after the US withdrawal before reducing its compliance. Araghchi was a negotiator of the 2015 deal, while Witkoff, his US counterpart, is also involved in talks regarding Ukraine.
Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60 percent, exceeding the limit set by the 2015 deal but still below the threshold for weapons-grade material.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged European countries to decide on triggering the “snapback” mechanism under the 2015 agreement, which would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran automatically. The deadline to activate the mechanism is in October.
If the mechanism is triggered, Iran has warned of withdrawing from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Grossi, following his meeting with Iranian officials, mentioned that the US and Iran are at a critical stage in the negotiations and must act quickly to reach an agreement.
‘Non-negotiable’
Iran has insisted that the talks solely focus on its nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions. Araghchi stated that a deal with the US is possible if Washington refrains from making unreasonable demands. Analysts anticipate discussions on Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for militants in the Middle East.
Araghchi reiterated that Iran’s right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable, despite Witkoff’s call for a complete halt. Israel, a US ally, reaffirmed its commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
(This article is auto-generated and has not been modified by NDTV staff.)
