SECURITY: Fifth Round Of US-Iran Nuclear Talks Set For May 23 - Oman FM
May-21 16:31
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi has announced on X that the fifth round of US-Iran nuclear talks will take place in Rome, Italy, on Friday, May 23.
- The talks come as US and Iranian officials clash over Iran’s ability to continue enriching uranium for civilian nuclear purposes. Senior Iranian officials, including Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have asserted their right to retain the enrichment programme within the parameters of a new deal.
- The US side - initially open to the idea - appears to have pivoted to a more hardline position on enrichment following pressure from Iran hawks within the Trump administration and Congress.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghachi said a short time ago - before Albusaidi's announcement: “Enrichment in Iran will continue; with or without agreement. We are considering whether or when to participate in the next round of negotiations. We are still examining whether fruitful negotiations can take place on that date and at that location,” per Laura Rozen at Diplomatic.
- Gregory Brew at the Eurasia Group noted earlier that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was “careful not to say explicitly that a deal hinges on zero enrichment” during testimony to US Congressional panels this week.
- Brew adds that US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said “enrichment was a "red-line." [but] Iranians claim he is saying something different during talks.”
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