U.S.-Iran Rome talks: Pivotal moment for nuclear diplomacy
On Saturday, the second round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran will take place in Rome. The Americans are advocating for direct talks, which could significantly influence the future of Iran's nuclear program.
What do you need to know?
- Where will the talks take place? The second round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran is scheduled for Saturday in Rome. This follows earlier discussions that were held in Oman.
- What are the expectations of the U.S.? According to the Axios portal, the American side is advocating for direct talks with Iran, potentially altering the current negotiation format.
- What is the context of the talks? The focus of the discussions is the future of Iran’s nuclear program, a topic that has been controversial internationally.
Meeting in Oman: Each side in a different room
According to sources from the Axios portal, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was pleased with the meeting in Oman, which marked the first high-level contact between the two sides in eight years. The proposal to hold the next round of talks in Rome came from Washington, Axios reported.
The meeting in Oman, which lasted over 2.5 hours, was conducted in an indirect format. Each side was in a separate room, and messages between them were conveyed by Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi.
In Rome, they are set to meet in one room
Later, U.S. government special envoy Steve Witkoff directly spoke with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi for 45 minutes, longer than was publicly disclosed, according to one source. The source described these talks as "substantive, serious, and excellent."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that the next round of talks will be conducted in an indirect format, but Axios sources suggest that in Rome, both delegations may meet in a single room. They will also be accompanied by Omani mediators in the Italian capital.
What are the international reactions?
After the meeting in Oman ended, no details regarding the content of the talks, which focused on the future of Iran's nuclear program, were disclosed to the public. During his first term, Trump led to the collapse of the agreement between Iran and world powers, which limited its nuclear program in exchange for easing sanctions.
Since then, Iran has exceeded the limits set by the agreement regarding uranium enrichment. Israel and some Western countries accuse Iran of continuing to develop its nuclear weapons program. Tehran's authorities insist that their nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes, stating that possessing nuclear weapons is against the principles of Islam.
