Iran-US Nuclear Talks Set to Resume in Rome, Say Diplomatic Sources
Rome to Host Next Round of Iran-US Nuclear Talks as Venue Shifts from Middle East
Diplomatic sources confirmed Monday that Italy will host the next round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States, signaling a shift away from the Middle East. Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking in Japan, announced that Rome had agreed to serve as the venue. Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister suggested the upcoming talks would “probably be held somewhere other than Oman,” where the first round took place.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, downplayed the location shift during a press conference in Tehran, stating, “It’s not an important matter.” While neither Tehran nor Washington officially confirmed the venue, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, speaking in Luxembourg, said the talks would take place in Rome, likely on Saturday, April 19.
Despite the move, Oman is expected to continue mediating between the two sides, as it did during the first round in Muscat last Saturday.
US President Donald Trump, reflecting on the initial round, called the discussions “positive” and “constructive,” and said a decision on Iran could come “very quickly.”
With tensions still high between the two nations after decades of animosity, the stakes remain critical. Trump has previously warned of possible US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities if no agreement is reached. Iran, for its part, has hinted that its highly enriched uranium stockpile could be used for a nuclear weapon if negotiations fail.
While the US may offer sanctions relief to support Iran’s struggling economy, analysts remain uncertain about how far Tehran will go to meet US demands. Since talks resumed in 2018, Iran has consistently pushed to continue enriching uranium up to 20%.
“There must definitely be guarantees in place regarding the fulfilment of commitments,” Baghaei emphasized on Monday.