Rome: Iran and the United States have taken a significant step toward reviving nuclear negotiations, agreeing to task expert teams with drafting a framework for a potential agreement. The move comes after what both sides described as productive indirect talks in Rome.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced the development on state television, noting that the negotiations, held through an Omani intermediary, were marked by a “constructive atmosphere” and yielded tangible progress on key issues.
“We were able to make some progress on a number of principles and goals, and ultimately reached a better understanding,” Araqchi stated. He confirmed that expert-level discussions would commence on Wednesday in Oman, with the aim of shaping a draft framework.
Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi called talks with the US on a potential nuclear deal useful, as the two sides agreed to ask experts to draw up a framework for a possible agreement after a second round of discussion https://t.co/86GFbC7mcs pic.twitter.com/8ipnrcQJxt
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The indirect negotiations, the second in a week, lasted four hours and involved Araqchi and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Araqchi said both sides agreed to reconvene at the expert level, with senior negotiators returning to Oman next Saturday to assess the framework’s alignment with broader principles.
While cautious optimism surrounded the talks, Araqchi emphasized Iran’s measured approach. Echoing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s recent remarks, he said: “We cannot say for certain that we are optimistic. We are acting very cautiously. There is no reason either to be overly pessimistic.”
A U.S. official confirmed the decision to proceed with further discussions. “Today, in Rome over four hours in our second round of talks, we made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions,” the official stated.
Iran, which insists its nuclear program is entirely peaceful, has expressed willingness to consider limited constraints on its atomic activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions that have crippled its economy.
President Trump, who withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement in 2018, reiterated his firm stance. Speaking to reporters, he said: “I’m for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific.”
Despite the renewed momentum, external pressures persist. Israel, a key U.S. ally and vocal critic of the original 2015 accord, has not ruled out military action against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure in the coming months, according to an Israeli official and two sources familiar with Israeli strategic planning.
Meanwhile, Iran’s nuclear program has expanded significantly since 2019, exceeding the limits outlined in the 2015 deal. Tehran has enriched uranium beyond levels required for civilian use, drawing concern from Western nations.
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A senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, reaffirmed Tehran’s uncompromising stance on its nuclear capabilities. He outlined the country’s red lines, which include refusing to dismantle its uranium enrichment centrifuges, halting enrichment altogether, or reducing its enriched uranium stockpile below the thresholds established in the original agreement.
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The upcoming expert-level talks in Oman are expected to determine whether both sides can bridge the remaining gaps and pave the way for a revived nuclear deal that addresses the concerns of all parties involved.
