US, Iran Report Progress in Nuclear Talks, Will Meet Again

AFP/APP

Rome: The United States and Iran made progress in a second round of high-stakes negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program on Saturday and agreed to reconvene next week, both sides confirmed.

The Oman-mediated talks in Rome lasted approximately four hours, according to Iranian state television and a senior US official. Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi described the session as a “good meeting” that produced tangible results.

“This time we managed to reach a better understanding on a series of principles and goals,” Araghchi told Iranian state TV.

A senior US official echoed that sentiment, stating:

• “Today, in Rome over four hours in our second round of talks, we made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions.”

According to Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, the parties

“agreed to resume indirect talks at a technical level over the next few days and subsequently continue at the level of two senior negotiators next Saturday, April 26.”

The US official confirmed that another meeting would take place next week but did not disclose the specific day or location.

Meanwhile, Omani officials announced that the third round of negotiations will be held in Muscat, returning to the venue of the first meeting that took place a week earlier.