Rome to Host Next Round of U.S.-Iran Talks/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The next round of nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. will be held in Rome, Italian officials confirmed. The discussions come amid growing tensions over Iran’s uranium enrichment and President Trump’s threats of military action. The IAEA chief will also visit Tehran this week ahead of the negotiations.
Next Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks: Quick Looks
- New Venue: Rome confirmed as next host city for Iran-U.S. talks
- Mediation Continues: Oman remains central intermediary in negotiations
- IAEA Role: Director Rafael Grossi to visit Tehran ahead of talks
- Tensions Rise: Trump warns of potential strikes if deal fails
- Enrichment Dispute: Iran now enriching uranium up to 60%
- Sanctions Pressure: Iran seeks relief, U.S. wants enrichment curbs
- Past Deal Breakdown: Trump exited 2015 nuclear agreement in 2018
- Diplomatic Tightrope: Iran demands guarantees before any direct talks
Rome to Host Next Round of U.S.-Iran Talks
Deep Look
ROME — Italy will host the next round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States, as the two long-time adversaries attempt to avoid a deepening crisis over Tehran’s expanding nuclear program. A source in the Italian government confirmed to The Associated Press that Rome will be the site of the second round of talks, scheduled for Saturday.
The announcement comes amid renewed threats from President Donald Trump, who has said the U.S. is prepared to launch airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites if diplomatic efforts fail. Iran, meanwhile, has warned that it may pursue a nuclear weapon if no agreement is reached, citing its growing stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%, just below weapons-grade.
Rome Replaces Muscat as Negotiation Venue
The first round of negotiations was held last week in Muscat, Oman, with the Gulf nation acting as a go-between. While the Iranian Foreign Ministry initially played down the importance of the venue, saying the location was not critical, Italian and Dutch officials have since confirmed the move to Rome.
“We received the request from the interested parties… and gave a positive response,” said Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in remarks from Osaka.
“We are ready to welcome meetings that can bring positive results.”
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp also confirmed the Rome venue while speaking in Luxembourg.
IAEA Chief Grossi to Visit Iran
Before the talks resume, Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will travel to Iran this week to meet with senior officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Grossi’s visit is part of efforts to restore transparency and monitoring of Iran’s nuclear program, which has suffered setbacks since Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal.
“Continued engagement and cooperation with the Agency is essential at a time when diplomatic solutions are urgently needed,” Grossi posted on X.
What’s at Stake: Sanctions vs. Enrichment
The 2015 nuclear agreement, also known as the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), saw Iran limit its uranium enrichment to 3.67%, far below weapons-grade. In return, economic sanctions were lifted, and Iran regained access to billions in frozen assets.
Since the U.S. exited the deal in 2018, Iran has progressively increased enrichment to 60%, stockpiling enough material for several bombs — a major concern for Western nations.
- U.S. Goal: Reduce enrichment, enforce caps, and reintroduce inspections
- Iran’s Demands: Retain some enrichment rights and secure guarantees against future deal withdrawals
“The issue of guarantees is especially important given the history of broken promises,” Iranian spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters Monday.
“As long as the language of sanctions, pressure, threats, and intimidation continues, direct negotiations will not take place.”
Behind the Scenes: A Glimmer of Direct Dialogue
Despite Iran’s public opposition to direct talks, the first round in Oman saw U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi engage face-to-face after two hours of indirect mediation by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi.
Speaking from Air Force One, Trump told reporters:
“Witkoff had very good meetings on the Middle East. We’ll be making a decision on Iran very quickly.”
That comment has fueled speculation that a limited breakthrough could be in the works, even if both sides continue to posture publicly.
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