DUBAI, May 24 (Alliance News): Iranian and US negotiators are set to resume high-stakes nuclear talks on Friday in Rome, despite bleak prospects and firm red lines from both sides that have cast doubt over the outcome.
The fifth round of discussions — taking place through Omani mediation — comes as both Washington and Tehran reaffirm hardline positions on uranium enrichment, a key sticking point. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will lead their respective delegations.
The talks, which follow a May 11 session in Oman, remain officially “indirect” according to Iran. However, US officials have confirmed a mix of direct and indirect engagements.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Araqchi drew a clear line: “Zero nuclear weapons = we do have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal. Time to decide.”
President Donald Trump is pushing to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, warning of the risk of sparking a regional arms race. Iran, under crippling economic sanctions, seeks sanctions relief while maintaining what it calls a peaceful nuclear energy program.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump believes talks are “moving in the right direction.” But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged Tuesday that bridging the gap will be tough, as Washington wants Iran to abandon enrichment altogether — something Iran has consistently rejected.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled out halting uranium enrichment, calling US demands “excessive and outrageous.” He expressed little optimism that the talks would yield a result.
Key obstacles remain, including Iran’s refusal to ship its stockpile of highly enriched uranium abroad and its unwillingness to include its ballistic missile program in the negotiations. Tehran says it will accept limits on enrichment but insists on “watertight guarantees” that Washington won’t walk away from any future agreement — as Trump did in 2018 by abandoning the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and reviving harsh sanctions.
Former US negotiator Wendy Sherman warned that it is unrealistic to expect Iran to give up enrichment entirely, calling the demand “ideal but impossible.”
Israeli involvement has also raised the stakes. According to sources, Israel’s strategic affairs minister and the head of Mossad are in Rome to meet with US officials amid reports of Israeli preparations for possible strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Araqchi warned the US would bear legal responsibility if Israel attacked Iranian nuclear sites, responding to reports that such action may be imminent.
While both sides still say they prefer diplomacy, a breakthrough remains elusive. Iran’s clerical leadership, according to sources, lacks a clear backup strategy if talks collapse.
