Rome – The fifth round of Iran-U.S. negotiations concluded Friday at the Omani Embassy in Italy, marking modest but inconclusive steps toward defusing one of the world's most watched diplomatic stand-offs. Roughly three hours of talks, led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, grappled with core disagreements over uranium enrichment and sanctions relief.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, who has steered this indirect mediation process, summarized the outcome on X: "The fifth round of Iran-U.S. talks has 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 honorable agreement."
At the center of the impasse is Iran's uranium enrichment program. U.S. negotiators have reiterated their demand for Iran to halt all enrichment, while Tehran has rejected a "zero enrichment" scenario, insisting that economic sanctions be lifted first.
As global audiences, from policy innovators to digital nomads, track these high-stakes talks, eyes now turn to the next round. Will Rome's diplomatic marathon find the common ground needed for a lasting accord? Negotiators aim to reconvene soon, hoping to break the deadlock.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
