ROME: Iran and the United States have resumed indirect nuclear negotiations in Rome, aiming to resolve a long-standing impasse over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The talks take place under the looming threat of military action from U.S. President Donald Trump, should diplomatic efforts fail.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff are engaging through indirect channels, with an Omani mediator relaying messages between the two parties. This follows a first round of similar indirect discussions held in Muscat last week, which both sides labeled “constructive.”
Although Araqchi and Witkoff briefly interacted after the Muscat round, there have been no direct U.S.-Iran nuclear talks since 2015, during former President Barack Obama’s administration.
In a pre-meeting with his Italian counterpart, Araqchi reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to diplomacy. He urged all parties involved to seize the chance for a “reasonable and logical” agreement. “Any deal must respect Iran’s legitimate rights and lead to the removal of unjust sanctions, while addressing concerns about our nuclear programme,” he said, according to Iranian state media.
Speaking from Moscow a day earlier, Araqchi stated that a deal was still within reach—if the U.S. approached the negotiations realistically.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani praised Rome’s role as a mediator, posting on X: “Rome becomes the capital of peace and dialogue. I encouraged Minister Araqchi to pursue diplomacy over nuclear weapons. The Italian government hopes for a peaceful solution for the Middle East.”
Despite these developments, Iranian officials have sought to manage expectations, cautioning against hopes of an imminent deal. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remarked this week that he was “neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic” about the talks.
President Trump, speaking to reporters on Friday, reiterated his hardline stance: “I’m focused on making sure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to succeed economically—but not with nukes.”
Meanwhile, an Israeli official and two sources close to the matter revealed that Israel has not ruled out the possibility of striking Iran’s nuclear sites in the coming months.
Trump, who previously withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal during his first term and reimposed tough sanctions on Tehran, has reinitiated his “maximum pressure” campaign since returning to the White House in January. The U.S. is demanding that Iran halt its enrichment of uranium at levels seen as suitable for nuclear weapons development.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but says it is open to negotiations over restrictions—on the condition that sanctions are lifted and firm guarantees are provided to prevent the U.S. from reneging on a future agreement.
Since 2019, Iran has exceeded many of the enrichment limits set by the 2015 deal, producing uranium far beyond what Western powers deem necessary for civilian use.
A senior Iranian official, speaking anonymously, outlined Tehran’s non-negotiable terms: no dismantling of centrifuges, no complete halt to uranium enrichment, and no reduction of enriched uranium stockpiles below the 2015 agreement’s terms. Iran also refuses to include its missile programme or defense capabilities in the talks.
Russia, which was part of the original 2015 agreement, has expressed its willingness to act as a mediator to help both sides reach a viable solution.
