ISLAMABAD: The fifth round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States will be held in Rome this Friday. Oman said it will continue its role as a mediator in the high-stakes dialogue.
Since April 12, Iran and the US have engaged in four rounds of indirect talks brokered by Oman—marking the most substantial engagement between the two adversaries since the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi confirmed the development in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, stating: “The 5th round of Iran-US talks will take place in Rome this Friday.”
The renewed negotiations aim to secure a deal that would limit Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
Western powers, particularly the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons capabilities—allegations Tehran firmly denies, asserting that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful, civilian purposes.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cast doubt on the outcome of the ongoing negotiations. “These talks are unlikely to lead to any outcome. We don’t know what will happen,” he said, while defending Iran’s right to enrich uranium. He warned that denying this right was “a big mistake.”
Meanwhile, in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed cautious optimism during a Senate hearing, stating, “We hope that we can reach an agreement with Iran.”
A key sticking point remains Iran’s insistence that its uranium enrichment program is “non-negotiable”—a position reiterated by Iranian officials. On the U.S. side, chief negotiator Steve Witkoff has described this demand as a “red line.”
Iran is currently enriching uranium to 60% purity—far exceeding the 3.67% cap set by the 2015 nuclear accord, but still below the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade material.
