Iran, US see hope for progress after US nuclear talks
Iranian and US delegations have wrapped up a fifth round of talks in Rome and signs of some limited progress emerged in the negotiations aimed at resolving a decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Despite both Washington and Tehran taking a tough stance in public ahead of the talks on Iran's uranium enrichment, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said there was potential for progress after Oman made several proposals during the talks.
"We have just completed one of the most professional rounds of talks ... We firmly stated Iran's position ... The fact that we are now on a reasonable path, in my view, is itself a sign of progress," Araqchi told state TV.
"The proposals and solutions will be reviewed in respective capitals ... and the next round of talks will be scheduled accordingly."
A senior US official said the talks lasted more than two hours and were both direct and indirect with Omani mediators.
"The talks continue to be constructive - we made further progress, but there is still work to be done. Both sides agreed to meet again in the near future. We are grateful to our Omani partners for their continued facilitation," the official said.
The stakes are high for both sides. President Donald Trump wants to curtail Tehran's potential to produce a nuclear weapon that could trigger a regional nuclear arms race and perhaps threaten Israel. The Islamic Republic, for its part, wants to be rid of devastating sanctions on its oil-based economy.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X the talks between Araqchi and Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff had ended "with some but not conclusive progress".
Ahead of the talks, Araqchi wrote on X: "Zero nuclear weapons = we Do have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal. Time to decide."
Among remaining stumbling blocks are Tehran's refusal to ship abroad its entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium - possible raw material for nuclear bombs - or engage in discussions over its ballistic missile programme.
Diplomats have said reaching a concrete deal before the summer would technically be impossible given the complexities of an accord. In the meantime, a senior Iranian official involved in nuclear talks with the US said "if Washington drops its 'zero enrichment' demand, a political agreement is feasible."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Washington was working to reach an accord that would allow Iran to have a civil nuclear energy program but not enrich uranium, while acknowledging that this "will not be easy".
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the last say on matters of state, rejected demands to stop refining uranium as "excessive and outrageous", warning that such talks were unlikely to yield results.
Iran says it is ready to accept some limits on enrichment, but needs watertight guarantees that Washington would not renege on a future nuclear accord.
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The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Iran insists it will not give up uranium enrichment
Iran will not give up its independent uranium enrichment program under any circumstances, even if a regional nuclear consortium is established, a foreign ministry spokesman says. "The crucial point is that a consortium is not an alternative and cannot replace uranium enrichment in the country," Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to the Tasnim news agency. He declined to comment on whether this demand was included in the latest proposal made by the United States to Iran. Unconfirmed reports suggest the US demanded a complete halt to Iranian uranium enrichment in a written proposal to Tehran. In return, Washington is said to have offered the country the civilian use of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment, within the framework of a regional consortium under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Baghaei said Iran will give an appropriate response to the US proposal in due course. Until then, the country will insist on both its own uranium enrichment and the lifting of US sanctions in the next round of negotiations, he said. After five rounds of talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to resolve the nuclear standoff, many issues remain unresolved. Among clashing red lines is Iran's rejection of a US demand that Tehran commit to scrapping uranium enrichment, viewed as a potential pathway to developing nuclear bombs. Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran demands the immediate removal of all US-imposed curbs that impair its oil-based economy. But for the US, the removal of nuclear-related sanctions should be done in phases. Dozens of Iranian institutions vital to Iran's economy, including its central bank and national oil company, have been sanctioned since 2018 for, according to Washington, "supporting terrorism or weapons proliferation". Trump's revival of a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran since his return to the White House in January has included tightened sanctions and threats to bomb Iran if current negotiations yield no deal. During his first term, Trump in 2018 ditched Tehran's 2015 nuclear pact with six powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy. In return, Tehran has rapidly violated the 2015 nuclear pact's curbs on its nuclear program. The 2015 deal required Iran to take steps to restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from US, EU and UN economic sanctions. with DPA Iran will not give up its independent uranium enrichment program under any circumstances, even if a regional nuclear consortium is established, a foreign ministry spokesman says. "The crucial point is that a consortium is not an alternative and cannot replace uranium enrichment in the country," Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to the Tasnim news agency. He declined to comment on whether this demand was included in the latest proposal made by the United States to Iran. Unconfirmed reports suggest the US demanded a complete halt to Iranian uranium enrichment in a written proposal to Tehran. In return, Washington is said to have offered the country the civilian use of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment, within the framework of a regional consortium under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Baghaei said Iran will give an appropriate response to the US proposal in due course. Until then, the country will insist on both its own uranium enrichment and the lifting of US sanctions in the next round of negotiations, he said. After five rounds of talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to resolve the nuclear standoff, many issues remain unresolved. Among clashing red lines is Iran's rejection of a US demand that Tehran commit to scrapping uranium enrichment, viewed as a potential pathway to developing nuclear bombs. Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran demands the immediate removal of all US-imposed curbs that impair its oil-based economy. But for the US, the removal of nuclear-related sanctions should be done in phases. Dozens of Iranian institutions vital to Iran's economy, including its central bank and national oil company, have been sanctioned since 2018 for, according to Washington, "supporting terrorism or weapons proliferation". Trump's revival of a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran since his return to the White House in January has included tightened sanctions and threats to bomb Iran if current negotiations yield no deal. During his first term, Trump in 2018 ditched Tehran's 2015 nuclear pact with six powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy. In return, Tehran has rapidly violated the 2015 nuclear pact's curbs on its nuclear program. The 2015 deal required Iran to take steps to restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from US, EU and UN economic sanctions. with DPA Iran will not give up its independent uranium enrichment program under any circumstances, even if a regional nuclear consortium is established, a foreign ministry spokesman says. "The crucial point is that a consortium is not an alternative and cannot replace uranium enrichment in the country," Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to the Tasnim news agency. He declined to comment on whether this demand was included in the latest proposal made by the United States to Iran. Unconfirmed reports suggest the US demanded a complete halt to Iranian uranium enrichment in a written proposal to Tehran. In return, Washington is said to have offered the country the civilian use of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment, within the framework of a regional consortium under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Baghaei said Iran will give an appropriate response to the US proposal in due course. Until then, the country will insist on both its own uranium enrichment and the lifting of US sanctions in the next round of negotiations, he said. After five rounds of talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to resolve the nuclear standoff, many issues remain unresolved. Among clashing red lines is Iran's rejection of a US demand that Tehran commit to scrapping uranium enrichment, viewed as a potential pathway to developing nuclear bombs. Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran demands the immediate removal of all US-imposed curbs that impair its oil-based economy. But for the US, the removal of nuclear-related sanctions should be done in phases. Dozens of Iranian institutions vital to Iran's economy, including its central bank and national oil company, have been sanctioned since 2018 for, according to Washington, "supporting terrorism or weapons proliferation". Trump's revival of a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran since his return to the White House in January has included tightened sanctions and threats to bomb Iran if current negotiations yield no deal. During his first term, Trump in 2018 ditched Tehran's 2015 nuclear pact with six powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy. In return, Tehran has rapidly violated the 2015 nuclear pact's curbs on its nuclear program. The 2015 deal required Iran to take steps to restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from US, EU and UN economic sanctions. with DPA Iran will not give up its independent uranium enrichment program under any circumstances, even if a regional nuclear consortium is established, a foreign ministry spokesman says. "The crucial point is that a consortium is not an alternative and cannot replace uranium enrichment in the country," Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to the Tasnim news agency. He declined to comment on whether this demand was included in the latest proposal made by the United States to Iran. Unconfirmed reports suggest the US demanded a complete halt to Iranian uranium enrichment in a written proposal to Tehran. In return, Washington is said to have offered the country the civilian use of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment, within the framework of a regional consortium under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Baghaei said Iran will give an appropriate response to the US proposal in due course. Until then, the country will insist on both its own uranium enrichment and the lifting of US sanctions in the next round of negotiations, he said. After five rounds of talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to resolve the nuclear standoff, many issues remain unresolved. Among clashing red lines is Iran's rejection of a US demand that Tehran commit to scrapping uranium enrichment, viewed as a potential pathway to developing nuclear bombs. Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran demands the immediate removal of all US-imposed curbs that impair its oil-based economy. But for the US, the removal of nuclear-related sanctions should be done in phases. Dozens of Iranian institutions vital to Iran's economy, including its central bank and national oil company, have been sanctioned since 2018 for, according to Washington, "supporting terrorism or weapons proliferation". Trump's revival of a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran since his return to the White House in January has included tightened sanctions and threats to bomb Iran if current negotiations yield no deal. During his first term, Trump in 2018 ditched Tehran's 2015 nuclear pact with six powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy. In return, Tehran has rapidly violated the 2015 nuclear pact's curbs on its nuclear program. The 2015 deal required Iran to take steps to restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from US, EU and UN economic sanctions. with DPA
West Australian
14 hours ago
- West Australian
Iran insists it will not give up uranium enrichment
Iran will not give up its independent uranium enrichment program under any circumstances, even if a regional nuclear consortium is established, a foreign ministry spokesman says. "The crucial point is that a consortium is not an alternative and cannot replace uranium enrichment in the country," Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to the Tasnim news agency. He declined to comment on whether this demand was included in the latest proposal made by the United States to Iran. Unconfirmed reports suggest the US demanded a complete halt to Iranian uranium enrichment in a written proposal to Tehran. In return, Washington is said to have offered the country the civilian use of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment, within the framework of a regional consortium under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Baghaei said Iran will give an appropriate response to the US proposal in due course. Until then, the country will insist on both its own uranium enrichment and the lifting of US sanctions in the next round of negotiations, he said. After five rounds of talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to resolve the nuclear standoff, many issues remain unresolved. Among clashing red lines is Iran's rejection of a US demand that Tehran commit to scrapping uranium enrichment, viewed as a potential pathway to developing nuclear bombs. Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran demands the immediate removal of all US-imposed curbs that impair its oil-based economy. But for the US, the removal of nuclear-related sanctions should be done in phases. Dozens of Iranian institutions vital to Iran's economy, including its central bank and national oil company, have been sanctioned since 2018 for, according to Washington, "supporting terrorism or weapons proliferation". Trump's revival of a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran since his return to the White House in January has included tightened sanctions and threats to bomb Iran if current negotiations yield no deal. During his first term, Trump in 2018 ditched Tehran's 2015 nuclear pact with six powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy. In return, Tehran has rapidly violated the 2015 nuclear pact's curbs on its nuclear program. The 2015 deal required Iran to take steps to restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from US, EU and UN economic sanctions. with DPA
Perth Now
14 hours ago
- Perth Now
Iran insists it will not give up uranium enrichment
Iran will not give up its independent uranium enrichment program under any circumstances, even if a regional nuclear consortium is established, a foreign ministry spokesman says. "The crucial point is that a consortium is not an alternative and cannot replace uranium enrichment in the country," Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to the Tasnim news agency. He declined to comment on whether this demand was included in the latest proposal made by the United States to Iran. Unconfirmed reports suggest the US demanded a complete halt to Iranian uranium enrichment in a written proposal to Tehran. In return, Washington is said to have offered the country the civilian use of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment, within the framework of a regional consortium under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Baghaei said Iran will give an appropriate response to the US proposal in due course. Until then, the country will insist on both its own uranium enrichment and the lifting of US sanctions in the next round of negotiations, he said. After five rounds of talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to resolve the nuclear standoff, many issues remain unresolved. Among clashing red lines is Iran's rejection of a US demand that Tehran commit to scrapping uranium enrichment, viewed as a potential pathway to developing nuclear bombs. Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran demands the immediate removal of all US-imposed curbs that impair its oil-based economy. But for the US, the removal of nuclear-related sanctions should be done in phases. Dozens of Iranian institutions vital to Iran's economy, including its central bank and national oil company, have been sanctioned since 2018 for, according to Washington, "supporting terrorism or weapons proliferation". Trump's revival of a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran since his return to the White House in January has included tightened sanctions and threats to bomb Iran if current negotiations yield no deal. During his first term, Trump in 2018 ditched Tehran's 2015 nuclear pact with six powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy. In return, Tehran has rapidly violated the 2015 nuclear pact's curbs on its nuclear program. The 2015 deal required Iran to take steps to restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from US, EU and UN economic sanctions. with DPA
