Fifth round of Iran-US nuclear talks set for May 23 in Rome, diplomat says

Spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei has confirmed that the fifth round of indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US will be held in Rome, Italy, on May 23.

According to Baqaei, Iran has approved the proposal made by Oman for the new round of indirect talks with the US, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

The spokesman underscored that the Iranian team of negotiators will spare no effort to uphold the Iranian nation’s interests and rights to enjoy peaceful nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment, and will resolutely push for the removal of anti-Iranian sanctions, which he described as cruel.

Iran and the US have held four rounds of talks since April 12, mediated by Oman, with the purpose of reaching a deal on Iran’s nuclear program and the removal of sanctions on Tehran.

To recall, on May 11, the fourth round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the United States was held in the Omani capital, Muscat. After about three hours of negotiations, spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the talks as “difficult but useful talks to better understand each other’s positions and to find reasonable and realistic ways to address the differences”.

These indirect negotiations, mediated primarily through European and regional intermediaries, have been part of broader efforts to prevent further escalation after the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) unravelled. The United States withdrew from the agreement in 2018 under President Donald Trump, reimposing sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran progressively scaled back its commitments under the deal.

The talks were facilitated largely by Oman and Qatar, two Gulf states that maintain close ties with both Washington and Tehran.  

By Khagan Isayev