New nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington

Tehran and Washington

 

New nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington

Iran announced the resumption of the fourth round of indirect talks with the United States next Sunday in the Sultanate of Oman, after a previous postponement due to "logistical" reasons, according to the Omani mediator.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that the negotiations are "progressing," noting that the additional time required in previous rounds was necessary to carefully examine the points raised. He also expressed optimism that the talks are moving forward, despite their increasing complexity.

These developments come amid threats issued by US President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement and threatened to use military force if a new agreement is not reached that "stops Iran's efforts to produce a nuclear weapon," as he put it.

Trump sent his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to the talks in Muscat, amid internal US debate about the feasibility of negotiations with Tehran.

In an interview with the right-wing Breitbart website, Witkoff stated that his country would "take the Iranians at their word" when they said they were not seeking a nuclear weapon, but stipulated that "Iran dismantle its facilities, reduce its level of uranium enrichment, and convert its program entirely to civilian uses."

The current round was scheduled to take place in Rome on May 3, but was abruptly postponed. Muscat, which has long played a quiet and influential role in mediating between Washington and Tehran, intervened to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed in a statement that the talks would be held next Sunday after "careful coordination between the two sides." The 2015 nuclear agreement placed strict restrictions on Iran's nuclear activity in exchange for a gradual lifting of economic sanctions.

However, the Trump administration's withdrawal from it in 2018 undermined the agreement and prompted Iran to accelerate its nuclear activity again, raising Western fears that Tehran was approaching the threshold for developing a nuclear bomb, a claim Iran consistently denies.

This new round reflects an extremely complex equation, as the US administration insists on completely dismantling Iran's nuclear infrastructure, while Tehran refuses to relinquish what it considers a "sovereign right to peaceful nuclear technology," amid internal political escalation in both Washington and Tehran.