Iran and the United States agreed on Saturday to begin drawing up a framework for a potential nuclear deal, Iran's foreign minister said, after talks that a U.S. official described as yielding "very good progress." According to officials, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and the Iranian minister met face to face, as they had in the first round of talks last week, although the Iranians said the negotiating teams sat in separate rooms while Oman's Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi relayed their messages.
Speaking on state TV after the talks, Araqchi described the engagement as useful and conducted in a constructive atmosphere.
"We were able to make some progress on a number of principles and goals, and ultimately reached a better understanding," Araqchi said.
"It was agreed that negotiations will continue and move into the next phase, in which expert-level meetings will begin on Wednesday in Oman. The experts will have the opportunity to start designing a framework for an agreement," he said.
Echoing cautious comments last week from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, he said: "We cannot say for certain that we are optimistic. We are acting very cautiously. There is no reason either to be overly pessimistic."
Iran, which calls its nuclear programme peaceful, says it is willing to discuss limited curbs to its atomic work in return for lifting international sanctions.
A Trump administration official confirmed that the two sides agreed to meet again next week.
"Today, in Rome, over four hours in our second round of talks, we made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions," the official said.
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The Iranian delegation leaves the U.S. Iran talks on Saturday
(Photo: Andrew Medichini / AP)
Trump told reporters on Friday: "I'm for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon. They can't have a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific."
In a post on X, Araqchi said Iran made it clear that the 2015 JCPOA was no longer sufficient and that after the next round of talks, Tehran would be in a better position to judge. Oman's Al Busaidi was more optimistic and described the talks as gaining momentum and "now even the unlikely is possible," he said.
Oman's Foreign Ministry said that the sides agreed to work toward a deal that would lead to Iran being "clean" of nuclear weapons and without sanctions, but that it would be able to develop nuclear energy for peaceful goals. It is unclear whether the Omani statement means that the U.S. agreed to the Iranians enriching uranium to the level of 3.67%, as Witkoff said recently before retracting his comments and demanding a complete end to uranium enrichment.
Israeli officials are concerned that the talks would not lead to a complete dismantling of Iran's nuclear program, especially after Witkoff alluded to the administration's willingness to compromise. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Mossad chief David Barnea met with the U.S. envoy in Paris ahead of the talks on Saturday. The Associated Press reported that Dermer was in Rome while the talks were taking place, and staying at the same hotel Witkoff was in.
