Iran and US hold new round of nuclear talks in Rome

Iran and the United States are set to hold a new round of indirect nuclear talks in Rome on Saturday, as both sides continue to search for a resolution to their decades-long standoff over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

The negotiations will be mediated by an Omani official, who will shuttle messages between U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

This round follows a productive first round of indirect talks held in Muscat last week, with both sides cautiously optimistic about the potential for progress. However, there have been no direct interactions between U.S. and Iranian officials since 2015, when former President Barack Obama was in office.

In a meeting with his Italian counterpart prior to the talks, Araqchi reiterated Iran's commitment to diplomacy, urging all parties involved to take the opportunity to reach a reasonable and logical nuclear deal. He emphasized that such an agreement must respect Iran's legitimate rights and result in the lifting of sanctions, while addressing concerns about Iran's nuclear activities.

Araqchi further expressed confidence that a deal could be reached if the U.S. adopts a realistic approach. However, Iranian officials have tempered expectations, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei noting that he remains neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic about the outcome.

For his part, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that his primary goal remains preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, while reiterating his hope for Iran's prosperity. Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran, has since revived his "maximum pressure" campaign.

The U.S. seeks an agreement that would halt Iran's production of highly enriched uranium, which Washington believes could be used to build a nuclear bomb. Iran, however, maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and is willing to negotiate certain limits on its program in exchange for sanctions relief, provided the U.S. offers ironclad guarantees that it will not backtrack again.

While the U.S. and Iran work toward a potential agreement, Israel has not ruled out a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, escalating tensions in the region. Iran has already breached several key limits of the 2015 nuclear deal, including exceeding the agreed-upon levels of uranium enrichment, and insists on keeping its centrifuges intact as part of any agreement.

Russia, a participant in the original nuclear agreement, has offered to assist in mediating the talks, emphasizing its role in facilitating dialogue between Tehran and Washington. As the negotiations unfold, both sides are under increasing pressure to find common ground before tensions escalate further.

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