Iran, US task experts with framework for a nuclear deal after ‘progress’ in talks

On Saturday, Iran’s foreign minister announced that Iran and the United States have agreed to start outlining a framework for a possible nuclear deal, following discussions that a U.S. official deemed as resulting in “very good progress.”

U.S. President Donald Trump, who discarded a 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and global powers in 2018 during his first term, has warned of a potential attack on Iran unless it promptly secures a new deal that would stop it from creating a nuclear weapon.

During their second indirect meeting within a week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi engaged in negotiations for four hours in Rome with Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, via an Omani official who conveyed messages back and forth. Speaking on state television following the discussions, Araqchi characterized the engagement as beneficial and held in a positive environment.

“We were able to make some progress on a number of principles and goals, and ultimately reached a better understanding,” Araqchi said.

“It was agreed that negotiations will continue and move into the next phase, in which expert-level meetings will begin on Wednesday in Oman. The experts will have the opportunity to start designing a framework for an agreement,” he said.

Echoing cautious comments last week from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, he said: “We cannot say for certain that we are optimistic. We are acting very cautiously. There is no reason either to be overly pessimistic.”

Iran, which calls its nuclear programme peaceful, says it is willing to discuss limited curbs to its atomic work in return for lifting international sanctions.

A Trump administration official confirmed that the two sides agreed to meet again next week.

“Today, in Rome over four hours in our second round of talks, we made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions,” the official said.

Trump told reporters on Friday: “I’m for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific.”