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The United States and Iran are set to resume indirect nuclear talks in Rome on Saturday, aiming to resolve the long-standing conflict over Iran’s nuclear program, following initial discussions held in Muscat last week, foreign media reported on Saturday. Here’s everything you need to know about the impending discussion:
- Oman To Be Mediator: As direct talks remain off the table, the negotiations will be conducted through an Omani official, shuttling messages between Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Reuters reported, quoting Iranian officials. Notably, the two nations haven’t held direct nuclear talks since 2015, during President Barack Obama’s administration, although brief informal contact reportedly took place between Araqchi and Witkoff at the close of the Muscat talks.
- Khamenei expresses skepticism: Amid speculation about an imminent sanctions lift, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said earlier this week that he was “neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic” about the outcome.
- Trump Wants ‘Iran To Be Great’: President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal during his first term and reinstated severe sanctions, reaffirmed his stance on Friday, reportedly saying, “I’m for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific.”
- Military Threat Looms: Amid a renewed push for diplomacy, Israel has not ruled out the possibility of striking Iran’s nuclear facilities in the coming months, an Israeli official and two other sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
- Washington’s Demands: The U.S. seeks a halt to Iran’s production of highly enriched uranium, which it believes may lead to weaponization.
- Tehran’s Red Lines: A senior Iranian official told Reuters about Iran’s non-negotiable points:
- No dismantling of uranium-enriching centrifuges
- No total halt to enrichment
- No reduction in enriched uranium stockpile below 2015 deal levels
- No discussion on Iran’s defense systems, including its ballistic missile program
- Russia’s Role: As a signatory to the original 2015 agreement, Russia has offered to “assist, mediate, and play any role” beneficial to both Iran and the U.S.
Araqchi, during a meeting with his Italian counterpart ahead of the talks, said, “All parties involved in the talks [should] seize the opportunity to reach a reasonable and logical nuclear deal,” Iranian state media reported. “Such an agreement should respect Iran’s legitimate rights and lead to the lifting of unjust sanctions on the country while addressing any doubts about its nuclear work.”
Speaking in Moscow on Friday, Araqchi noted that a deal is possible if the U.S. adopts a realistic approach.
