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Dubai, 23 May 2025, Reuters reports – Talks between Iran and the United States will begin in Rome on Friday to resolve the long-running dispute over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. This comes amid a warning from Iran’s supreme leader that a new agreement may not be possible due to fundamental differences.
The talks, which are in their fifth round with the participation of Omani mediators, aim to conclude a new nuclear deal after the collapse of the 2015 agreement between Iran and world powers. US President Donald Trump is seeking to limit Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities, which could trigger a regional arms race. In return, Iran is seeking to get rid of sanctions that are damaging its oil economy.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who arrived in Rome with two deputies, said on social media site X: “Zero nuclear weapons = deal. Zero enrichment = no deal. Time to choose”. At the same time, White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said that Trump believes that the negotiations with Iran are “moving in the right direction”.
However, the positions of the parties remain diametrically opposed. The United States insists that Iran should stop uranium enrichment and allow only a civilian nuclear programme. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has acknowledged that reaching such an agreement “will not be easy.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the US demands to stop enrichment “excessive and outrageous”, warning of low chances of success in the negotiations.
Among the key obstacles are Iran’s refusal to export its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, which can be used to make nuclear weapons, and Tehran’s unwillingness to discuss its ballistic missile programme. Iran is willing to accept certain restrictions on enrichment, which it says is exclusively for peaceful purposes, but it wants guarantees that the US will not pull out of a possible deal, as happened in 2018 when Trump tore up the 2015 agreement and reimposed tough sanctions.
The escalation of Iran’s uranium enrichment beyond the limits of the 2015 agreement was a response to these sanctions. Wendy Sherman, who headed the US delegation at the time of the 2015 agreement, noted that it was impossible to convince Iran to completely abandon enrichment, as Tehran considers it a matter of sovereignty.
Failure of the negotiations could have serious consequences. Israel, which considers Iran’s nuclear programme a threat, has stated that it will not allow Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. According to sources, representatives of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency will also be present in Rome for talks with the US team. Araqchi warned that the US would be held responsible for any Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Three Iranian sources said that in the event of a failure of the talks, the Iranian leadership has no clear plan of action. Thus, the fate of the talks remains uncertain amid rising tensions.
