 "The fifth round of talks between Iran and the US are to happen on Friday. Representational Image: File")
The United States and Iran are set to resume nuclear negotiations on Friday (May 23) in Rome, marking the fifth round of talks mediated by Oman since April, Omani officials announced.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi confirmed the development in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday. “The 5th round of Iran-US talks will take place in Rome this Friday,” he wrote.
The two nations, which have not held formal diplomatic relations for decades, have engaged in indirect talks to secure a new agreement that would limit Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for relief from US sanctions. The dialogue represents the highest-level contact between Washington and Tehran since the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear accord under then-President Donald Trump.
No breakthrough expected, Khamenei says
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday (May 21) cast doubt on the prospects for progress, telling Iranian officials that negotiations were unlikely to “lead to any outcome.” He also criticised Western opposition to Iran’s uranium enrichment program, calling it “a big mistake.”
Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, while Western governments— including the United States— suspect Tehran is seeking the capability to build nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic is currently enriching uranium up to 60 percent purity, well above the 3.67 per cent cap set in the 2015 deal, but still below the 90 per cent level needed for weapons-grade material.
Enrichment remains a sticking point
Uranium enrichment remains a key sticking point in the ongoing talks. Iran has repeatedly said its right to enrich uranium is “non-negotiable.” The US side has maintained that Tehran’s enrichment levels must be curtailed significantly.
Steve Witkoff, the chief US negotiator, has described Iran’s enrichment stance as a “red line,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a Senate panel this week that Washington “hopes we can reach an agreement.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe status of the talks remains uncertain, with both sides continuing to publicly express skepticism even as they pursue renewed diplomacy behind closed doors.
With inputs from agencies