The United States and Iran are preparing for a second round of nuclear talks in Oman on April 26, after a “very good progress” during Saturday’s discussions in Rome, a US official told Associated Press.
US president Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi held a rare face-to-face meeting, a rare occurrence in US-Iran diplomacy.
Araghchi had said earlier that technical-level talks would take place this week to iron out details. Speaking on Iranian state television, he described the Rome talks as “constructive” and expressed hope for further progress before the Oman meeting. “We reached a better understanding about a sort of principles and aims,” he added.
While the US acknowledged both direct and indirect exchanges, Iranian officials insisted that most talks were still conducted through mediators. Oman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi, who has been acting as a go-between, said, “These talks are gaining momentum and now even the unlikely is possible.”
Trump, speaking on Friday, repeated his position: “I’m for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon.”
Ahead of the Rome talks, Witkoff met with Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which could play a role in monitoring any new agreement. Grossi also met with Araghchi.
However, Iran remains firm on its nuclear rights. Senior Iranian adviser Ali Shamkhani said on social media that Iran is seeking a “balanced agreement, not a surrender.” This comment followed mixed messages from Witkoff on whether Iran could continue low-level enrichment.
