US‑Iran nuclear talks in Rome: Omani mediators to join
Reuters reported, referencing Iranian state media, that the second round of talks between the USA and Iran regarding the nuclear program will take place on April 19 in Rome. It was announced that mediators from Oman will participate in the meeting.
What you need to know
- Where and when will the talks take place? The second round of American-Iranian talks will be held on April 19 in Rome. Mediators from Oman will be present, which may influence the negotiation atmosphere.
- How did the first round of talks go? The first round took place on April 12 in Muscat, the capital of Oman. The meeting was held indirectly and concluded in a "good, friendly atmosphere."
- What are the main challenges? Internal differences in the US administration regarding demands on Iran may complicate negotiations.
What are the key challenges in the talks?
American-Iranian talks about Tehran's nuclear program are complicated by internal differences in the US administration. "The New York Times" reports conflicting views among officials regarding demands on Iran.
National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio want to deprive Iran of the ability to enrich uranium, while others, like Steve Witkoff, fear such demands may derail the talks.
Will the IAEA play a key role?
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, emphasizes that the agency must be involved in the talks for the agreement to be credible.
- Without us, any agreement is just a piece of paper - Grossi assessed in an interview with "Le Monde." The IAEA has already started informal consultations and must evaluate every final agreement version.
This is another round of talks
On Monday, the Iranian state agency IRNA reported—citing the head of the Iranian foreign ministry, Abbas Araghchi—that the talks will take place in Muscat, the capital of Oman.
In this city, the first round of negotiations was conducted on April 12. After these talks, representatives of the delegations of Iran and the USA and the host of the meeting, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, assured that the negotiations proceeded in a "good, friendly atmosphere" and had a "constructive" character. The meeting lasted over 2.5 hours, roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes. It was held in an indirect format with each party in a separate room, and the Omani foreign minister conveyed messages between them. After the negotiations concluded, Araghchi spoke with the head of the American delegation, President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
Former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Mohsen Rezaei, expressed concerns about the inconsistent statements from US President Donald Trump and his envoy, Witkoff. Rezaei believes such actions increase Iran's distrust, especially after the US withdrew from the nuclear deal 2018.
