The fifth round of talks between delegates from Iran and the United States was brought to a close on Friday in the Sultanate of Oman Embassy in Rome. “I can say that this round was one of the most professional stages of negotiations that we have experienced so far. In this meeting, Iran’s positions and principles regarding the negotiation process were once again presented with complete transparency. Our positions are completely clear, and we adhere to them,” said Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister.
“The fifth round of Iran-U.S. talks concluded today in Rome with some but not conclusive progress. We hope to clarify the remaining issues in the coming days to allow us to proceed towards the common goal of reaching a sustainable and honourable agreement,” said Badr Albusaidi, Omani Foreign Minister and mediator of the talks, on social media platform X. This round of talks was of particular sensitivity as the U.S. sought to terminate Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities without any exception to civilian and medical use. Iran hopes to lift some of the crushing economic sanctions that the U.S. has imposed for nearly half a century, since Carter’s administration, in return for limiting its nuclear programme. There were fears that this round would result in a collapse in the talks since the U.S. abjured Iran’s offer to dramatically abate the size and purity of its uranium stockpile. Driven by fear of failure in diplomacy, Iran’s markets ended the day in red for at least a few days before the indirect talks in Rome, and the national currency devalued against the dollar. President Trump has threatened Iran that if it doesn’t reach an agreement addressing its nuclear program, the U.S. will conduct airstrikes in Iran to eliminate the threat of a nuclear bomb.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, previously expressed doubts about the outcome of the talks and whether it reached an agreement. “We don’t think it will lead to any outcome. We don’t know what will happen,” he said.
“Once you know how to enrich at any level, all you need is time to be able to enrich at a higher level. And they’ve already proven the ability to enrich at a higher level. In fact, they have and are doing so now,” said Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of Defence. “They claim that enrichment is a matter of national pride. It is our view that they want enrichment as a deterrent; they believe that it makes them a threshold nuclear power and, as a result, untouchable,” he added.
Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, said at one point that Iran is allowed to enrich at 3.67% but later stated that all uranium enrichment must stop. As part of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, Iran insists that it will not abdicate its right to enrich uranium at a domestic level. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded a “Libyan Model” agreement, which leads to total destruction of all nuclear sites, weeks before the first round of talks commenced.
Iran has faced steep costs for its ambitious nuclear programme, which state officials insist is for peaceful purposes. However, the West remains sceptical, arguing that Tehran’s ultimate objective is to develop a nuclear bomb–aimed at gaining a strategic advantage over Israel in their long-lasting proxy warfare. “Iran almost certainly is not producing nuclear weapons, but Iran has undertaken activities in recent years that better position it to produce them, if it chooses to do so,” according to a recent report by the U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency.
The nuclear talks are held amidst Israel’s continuous threats to strike key nuclear sites in Iran to annihilate its program. Iran’s military (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps both vowed to defend Iran and its nuclear facilities in separate statements during their joint military exercise in Yazd. In his letter to the United Nations secretary general, Abbas Araghchi warned of “catastrophic consequences” , writing that the Islamic Republic of Iran will take all the necessary measures to protect and defend its citizens, interests, and facilities against any terrorist or sabotage acts in accordance with international law, according to Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations.
Written by Mohammad Amin
