The United States and Iran have resumed crucial nuclear talks in Rome on Friday, aiming to reach a new agreement after the collapse of the 2015 deal. Despite hopes for progress, sharp disagreements over uranium enrichment continue to threaten the outcome.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff are holding their fifth round of discussions through Omani mediation. While Iran insists the talks are indirect, U.S. officials maintain there have been both direct and indirect exchanges during the recent sessions.
Tensions remain high, as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that U.S. demands to halt uranium enrichment are “excessive and outrageous.” He indicated that the talks are unlikely to succeed if Washington insists on zero enrichment. Araqchi echoed this stance, stating: “Zero nuclear weapons = we do have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the difficulty in securing a deal that allows Iran civilian nuclear capabilities without enrichment. Both sides claim to favor diplomacy, yet their opposing red lines present a serious challenge.
Complicating matters, Tehran has rejected calls to send its enriched uranium abroad or discuss its ballistic missile program. However, Iran has expressed willingness to limit enrichment under the condition of strong guarantees that the U.S. won’t abandon the deal again, as it did in 2018 under President Trump.
Adding to the pressure, Israeli intelligence officials are also in Rome to meet with the U.S. team. Iran warned Washington it would be held responsible if Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities. With no clear backup plan in place, the failure of these talks could escalate tensions and raise fears of military conflict in the region.