Iran and the United States on Friday, May 23, concluded the fifth round of nuclear talks in Rome.News agency Reuters reported, citing a senior US official, that US special envoy Steve Witkoff held more than two hours of talks with the Iranian delegation iabout Tehran’s nuclear programme and agreed to meet again.
“The talks continue to be constructive – we made further progress, but there is still work to be done. Both sides agreed to meet again in the near future. We are grateful to our Omani partners for their continued facilitation,” the official said, Reuters reported.
The discussions this week “were the most professional yet” and could lead to an agreement in the next couple of meetings, said Iranian Foreign Minister and lead negotiator Abbas Araghchi.“The fact that we’re on a reasonable path is progress in itself,” Araghchi said. “I’m hopeful that in the next one or two meetings, considering the improved view of Iran’s position, we’ll be able to reach solutions that can allow for progress in the talks.”
“The talks continue to be constructive – we made further progress, but there is still work to be done. Both sides agreed to meet again in the near future. We are grateful to our Omani partners for their continued facilitation,” the official said, Reuters reported.
The discussions this week “were the most professional yet” and could lead to an agreement in the next couple of meetings, said Iranian Foreign Minister and lead negotiator Abbas Araghchi.“The fact that we’re on a reasonable path is progress in itself,” Araghchi said. “I’m hopeful that in the next one or two meetings, considering the improved view of Iran’s position, we’ll be able to reach solutions that can allow for progress in the talks.”
Araghchi spoke after the two sides met in Rome on Friday for a fresh round of talks aimed at resolving their standoff over Iran’s nuclear program. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who mediated the discussions, offered solutions “in order to remove obstacles,” Araghchi told Iranian state TV.
There was no word yet on how to resolve the disagreement that sits at the center of the two sides’ dispute: the US says Iran must not be allowed to enrich uranium at all, while Iranian officials say they must retain that right. Tehran says it doesn’t seek a nuclear bomb but wants fissile material to power nuclear-power plants.
With inputs from Bloomberg
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