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The fifth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States will take place in Rome on Friday (May 23), Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced in a brief statement Wednesday evening.
Tehran and Washington resumed nuclear diplomacy last month, with Oman serving as mediator.
The negotiations follow the 2018 withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, under then-President Donald Trump. Trump has since called for a “better” deal and has stated that the United States “will not allow Iran to have a nuclear bomb.”
The most recent round of talks was held May 11 in Muscat, the capital of Oman.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday cast doubt on the negotiations, saying he does not believe the ongoing talks will lead to “any meaningful outcome.” He warned that denying Iran’s right to enrich uranium was “a big mistake.”
Western nations, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, while Iran maintains its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes.
“We hope that we can reach an agreement with Iran,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a Senate hearing in Washington.
Iran has repeatedly asserted that its right to enrich uranium is “non-negotiable,” a position echoed by its diplomats. Chief U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff has called the issue a “red line.”
Iran is currently enriching uranium to 60% purity, significantly above the 3.67% cap set by the 2015 deal but below the 90% level required for a nuclear weapon.
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