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The second round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran will take place on Saturday, 19 April, in Rome. Axios reports this with reference to knowledgeable sources.
The move of the talks from Oman to Italy was an initiative of the US side for logistical reasons. An important detail of this round may be a personal dialogue between Washington and Tehran officials without intermediaries – for the first time in a long time.
According to journalist Barak Ravid, the administration of US President Donald Trump was satisfied with the results of the first meeting in Muscat, Oman, which took place on 12 April and lasted about 45 minutes – longer than officially reported.
The US delegation is headed by Special Presidential Envoy Steven Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is participating.
The US offers a deal without ultimatums
According to Axios, during the talks in Muscat, the Americans presented a draft agreement without mentioning the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear programme or a direct threat of a military strike if the deal fails. This indicates Washington’s more flexible approach.
Abbas Araghchi said after the talks in Oman that the parties were “very close to the basis for a future agreement”. According to him, the next round of talks on 19 April will also be hosted by Oman, although the venue has changed to Rome.
Israel does not trust diplomacy
Against the backdrop of the negotiations, Israel demonstrates extreme distrust of the process and actively persuades the White House to consider a military scenario in the event of a failure of the talks.
Analysts point out that any progress in the US-Iranian talks could cause political tension in the region, especially on the part of Israel, which considers Tehran’s nuclear programme a direct threat to its security.
It is expected that the talks in Rome will be a key test for the future of US-Iranian relations and will determine the further development of the situation in the Middle East.
