The U.S. and Iran agreed, during negotiations on Saturday in Rome, to enter into the next phase of talks about Iran’s nuclear program, according to a statement issued by Oman’s foreign ministry the same day.
Oman has mediated between the two nations as they seek an agreement that would give Iran sanctions relief in exchange for guarantees that it doesn’t build a nuclear bomb. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that the U.S. and Iran will hold technical talks next Wednesday and another round of political-level talks next Saturday.
The Omani statement said the aim of negotiations is to strike “a fair, enduring and binding deal” that will keep Iran “completely free of nuclear weapons and sanctions” while letting it maintain the “ability to develop peaceful nuclear energy.” In recent weeks, a confusion had arisen about whether the Trump administration was seeking the complete dismantlement of Iran’s civilian nuclear energy infrastructure or a diplomatic program to verify that it doesn’t weaponize its enriched uranium.
The White House has been divided between Iran hawks who doubt that diplomacy will work and advocates of foreign policy restraint who prefer negotiations with Iran over war, according to reports published this week. In the former camp are National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and special envoy Steve Witkoff favor diplomacy.
Witkoff met with Araghchi last weekend to ease bilateral tensions and pave the way for future negotiations. The two diplomats again led their respective nations’ delegations this Saturday.
Iran expert Trita Parsi, who supports a nuclear agreement, wrote on social media Saturday that the speed of President Donald Trump’s diplomacy with Tehran is “stunningly positive.”
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