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Against the backdrop of unfulfilled election promises to bring peace to Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, US President Donald Trump has taken on a new challenge – an attempt to curb the escalation of Iran’s nuclear programme. According to Reuters, the second round of talks between the US and Iranian delegations is due to take place in Rome on Saturday.
This diplomatic move seems unexpected given the years of mutual hostility. During his first term, Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed a tough “maximum pressure” sanctions policy on Iran.
Although the meeting last weekend in Oman was described as “positive” by both sides, negotiators warned that no breakthrough should be expected. According to sources familiar with the White House’s position, discussions on a potential nuclear framework document are at an early stage, but the possibility of a temporary agreement as a first step towards a larger treaty cannot be ruled out.
The situation is complicated by the fact that Trump himself has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if diplomacy fails. On Thursday, however, the president said he was in no hurry to use force: “If there is a second option, it will be very bad for Iran. I hope they want to talk. It would be very good for them.”
The US negotiating team is headed by Trump’s long-time friend, real estate developer Steve Whitkoff, a man with no diplomatic experience who has already been dubbed by some analysts as a “special representative for everything at once”. He is responsible not only for Iran, but also for ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Iran will be represented at the talks by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, an experienced diplomat who is considered one of the most dangerous negotiators in the West because of his strategic stamina.
“Balancing Gaza, Ukraine, and Iran is a daunting task for anyone,” said Jonathan Panikoff, former Deputy Director of National Intelligence for the Middle East, “and in the case of Iran, it’s even more difficult because of the technicalities, the historical context, the geopolitics of the region, and the overall complexity of the conflict.”
