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.
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s reluctance to support military action, Israel has not ruled out launching a limited strike on Iran's nuclear facilities in the coming months, according to Israeli and other sources familiar with the matter.
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.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov extended Moscow’s support for the ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, offering to mediate or assist in any way that would be beneficial to Tehran and acceptable to Washington.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has signaled that a nuclear agreement with the United States remains within reach, provided Washington adopts a realistic and constructive approach ahead of the second round of negotiations with the Trump administration.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to hold talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for Easter, set to last from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday until midnight (2100 GMT) following Easter Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday his plan to reclassify approximately 50,000 federal workers under a new category, "Schedule Policy/Career," which would make it easier to fire civil servants who do not align with his administration's policy agenda.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order early Saturday blocking the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members from Texas under the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law from 1798.
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s reluctance to support military action, Israel has not ruled out launching a limited strike on Iran's nuclear facilities in the coming months, according to Israeli and other sources familiar with the matter.
Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, erupted once more early on Saturday, with ash and lava spewing from the southeastern crater. The eruption, which began late Friday night, continued through midday, local sources reported.
The Russian ruble has emerged as the top-performing currency globally in 2025, registering an impressive 38% appreciation against the US dollar since the beginning of the year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to visit Algeria on April 20-21 for high-level strategic talks, according to diplomatic sources.
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s reluctance to support military action, Israel has not ruled out launching a limited strike on Iran's nuclear facilities in the coming months, according to Israeli and other sources familiar with the matter.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck the border area between Afghanistan and Tajikistan on Saturday, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 92 kilometers (57 miles).
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 19th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The British steel industry is grappling with its most significant crisis in decades, as the government has been forced to intervene in an emergency bid to save the country's last operational blast furnaces at British Steel.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for Easter, set to last from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday until midnight (2100 GMT) following Easter Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday his plan to reclassify approximately 50,000 federal workers under a new category, "Schedule Policy/Career," which would make it easier to fire civil servants who do not align with his administration's policy agenda.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order early Saturday blocking the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members from Texas under the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law from 1798.
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s reluctance to support military action, Israel has not ruled out launching a limited strike on Iran's nuclear facilities in the coming months, according to Israeli and other sources familiar with the matter.
Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, erupted once more early on Saturday, with ash and lava spewing from the southeastern crater. The eruption, which began late Friday night, continued through midday, local sources reported.
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