Iran sees 'movement forward' after second round of nuclear talks with US
Photo: Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy for the Middle East (Getty Images)
A second round of talks between the US and Iranian delegations over Tehran’s nuclear program was held in Rome on Saturday, April 19, according to CNN and The Times of Israel.
Saturday’s talks came a week after the first round was held in Muscat, the capital of Oman. Although the negotiations are taking place in Italy, Oman once again served as a mediator between the US team, led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and the Iranian delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The Iranian Foreign Minister indicated the talks were positive. He told reporters the negotiations lasted about four hours.
"I can say that there is movement forward. We’ve reached a better understanding and agreement on some principles and goals in these Rome negotiations," he said.
According to a representative of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, a third round of negotiations is expected in the coming days.
Background
Tensions between the two countries have existed for decades, and there has been a long-standing dispute over Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
Washington wants Iran to stop producing highly enriched uranium, which the US believes is aimed at building a nuclear bomb. This week, Iran doubled its uranium enrichment levels but signaled a willingness to discuss certain compromises in exchange for sanctions relief to ease pressure on its economy.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that US President Donald Trump rejected an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The decision was made because Tehran was open to negotiations.
