Delegations from both countries met in Rome for the second time. The goal: to reach a lasting agreement that would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
The United States and Iran concluded a new round of negotiations focused on Iran's nuclear program this Saturday in Rome. The talks, mediated by Oman, seek to reach an agreement that guarantees that the Islamic Republic does not develop nuclear weapons, according to the Omani Foreign Ministry.
Both sides agreed to move toward “a fair, lasting, and binding agreement that ensures a nuclear-free and sanctions-free Iran, preserving its right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” Oman’s Foreign Ministry said on its Twitter account.
Although diplomatic relations between Washington and Tehran have been severed since 1979, both delegations described the meeting as "constructive." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who led his country's delegation, stated that "a better understanding on a number of principles and objectives" was achieved during the four-hour meeting.
The US delegation was led by Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy. The talks were held indirectly, with both sides in separate rooms and the Omani foreign minister relaying messages between the delegations, according to Iranian spokesman Esmail Baghai.
The third round of talks is scheduled for next week in Muscat, the capital of Oman.
A tense return to dialogue
Negotiations resumed following recent threats from US President Donald Trump, who warned of possible military action if a new nuclear deal is not reached. Trump had already withdrawn the US from the 2015 multilateral pact during his first term, breaking a consensus involving Germany, China, France, the United Kingdom, and Russia.
While Trump reaffirmed his policy of "maximum pressure" on Tehran, he also recently stated that he is "in no rush to resort to military action," suggesting that Iran might be willing to engage in dialogue.
For its part, Iran maintains its firm stance: it limits discussions to the nuclear sphere and rejects any demands that would completely suspend its nuclear activity. "Unreasonable and unrealistic demands will not be accepted," Araqchi warned on Friday.
The status of Iran's nuclear program
Since the collapse of the 2015 deal, Iran has raised its uranium enrichment level to 60%, approaching the 90% required to make a nuclear weapon, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Its director, Rafael Grossi, visited Tehran this week and warned that the country is "not far" from achieving that capability.
The Iranian regime has reiterated that its program is exclusively for civilian purposes, such as energy production, and considers both the development of its ballistic missile capabilities and its regional influence to be "red lines." The Islamic Republic's ideological army, the Revolutionary Guards, also refused to discuss any defense-related aspects.
Tehran maintains its support for groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, raising concerns in the West and Israel. The latter has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether dialogue can overcome years of tension and bring the two powers closer to an understanding that reduces the nuclear threat in the Middle East.
Agencies contributed to this Aurora article