Newsletter Newsletters Events Events Podcasts Videos Africanews
Loader
Advertisement

Fifth round of US-Iran nuclear deal talks to take place on Friday in Rome, Oman says

Iranian women walk past a banner showing missiles being launched from an Iranian map in Tehran, 19 April, 2024
Iranian women walk past a banner showing missiles being launched from an Iranian map in Tehran, 19 April, 2024 Copyright  AP Photo
Copyright AP Photo
By Gavin Blackburn with AP
Published on
Share this article Comments
Share this article Close Button

The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic.

ADVERTISEMENT

Oman's foreign minister has said the fifth round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran to discuss Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme take place on Friday in Rome.

So far, neither Tehran nor Washington has confirmed the meeting or announced whether they will attend.

Abbas Araghchi made the announcement in a post on the social media platform X after insisting that Tehran will never stop enriching uranium, further underlining the Islamic Republic's red line in negotiations with the US.

The comments by Araghchi come after several rounds of negotiations, including at an expert level over the details of a possible deal.

However, no agreement has been reached yet and American officials including President Donald Trump, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio maintain that Iran must give up enrichment, something it didn't do in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends a news conference in Moscow, 18 April, 2025
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends a news conference in Moscow, 18 April, 2025 AP Photo

"I have said it before, and I repeat it again: uranium enrichment in Iran will continue — with or without an agreement," Araghchi said in remarks reported by state television.

Araghchi added that Iran is "currently reviewing whether to participate in the next round and when to take part" in talks with the US.

"We have never abandoned diplomacy. We will always be present at the negotiating table, and the main reason for our presence is to defend the rights of the Iranian people," Araghchi said.

"We stand against excessive demands and rhetoric at the table."

Araghchi's remarks come a day after Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said he didn't expect the negotiations to produce a deal.

"I don't think nuclear talks with the US will bring results. I don't know," Khamenei said.

The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash air strikes targeting Iran's nuclear programme if a deal isn't reached.

While Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

A worker rides a bicycle in front of the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant outside the southern city of Bushehr, 26 October, 2010
A worker rides a bicycle in front of the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant outside the southern city of Bushehr, 26 October, 2010 AP Photo

Meanwhile, Israel has threatened to strike Iran's nuclear facilities on its own if it feels threatened, further ratcheting up tensions in a Middle East already rattled by the war in Gaza.

The landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), capped Tehran’s enrichment level at 3.67% and reduced its uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms.

That level is enough for nuclear power plants, but far below weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Since the deal collapsed in 2018 with Trump's unilateral withdrawal of the US from the accord, Iran has abandoned all limits on its programme and enriched uranium to up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels.

Go to accessibility shortcuts
Share this article Comments

Read more

EU to influence Iran nuclear talks from sidelines in Geneva

Rome police catch German tourist carrying ancient marble slab on electric scooter

Iran and US conclude fourth round of nuclear talks