Rome, 19 April 2025 (dpa/MIA) – Representatives from Iran and the United States were meeting on Saturday in Rome for the second round of nuclear negotiations.

The start of the talks was announced by the Iranian negotiating delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The political adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei signalled Iran's willingness to reach an agreement in the nuclear dispute.

According to Ali Shamkhani, Iran is willing to compromise under certain conditions. "We want a balanced agreement, not surrender," he wrote on X. Shamkhani called for a complete lifting of sanctions, including easing restrictions on foreign investment and an end to threats from Israel and the United States.

The US delegation is led by Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, while the foreign minister of Oman, Badr al-Busaidi, is reprising his role as mediator.

US President Donald Trump has threatened Tehran with military consequences should the talks fail, stating his central aim is to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapons programme.

Witkoff recently emphasized that an agreement would only be reached if Tehran completely halts its uranium enrichment and weapons development programme, a significant tightening compared to his previous statement which suggested that limited civilian enrichment under strict control could be possible.

Araghchi expressed openness to concessions regarding the nuclear programme and the level of uranium enrichment, stressing that Iran does not want to develop a nuclear bomb. In return, Iran demands the lifting of US sanctions.

However, according to Araghchi, a complete renunciation of nuclear technology is not up for discussion.

Further points of conflict include the Iranian missile programme and Middle East policy, particularly Tehran's support for militant Islamist groups who target their common arch-enemy Israel.

Photo: MIA archive