Iran, US attenuate disparities, agree on sanctions removal: Araghchi
Iran and the United States wrapped up the fourth round of nuclear talks in Oman on Sunday with the Iranian top diplomat saying both sides managed to narrow their differences.
Shortly after the end of the negotiations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with state TV that Tehran and Washington have narrowed their differences and at the very least, the two sides reached a better understanding of each other’s positions.
Araghchi described the latest round of negotiations as “more serious” and “more detailed” than previous meetings, adding that “more detailed issues” were discussed and that the negotiations were “moving forward.”
Before the Sunday talks, the US officials, including Washington’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff have called Iran’s uranium enrichment a red line for the US.
Witkoff said in a Friday interview that Iran’s “enrichment facilities have to be dismantled.”
“That’s our red line. No enrichment,” he told US right-wing outlet Breitbart News, after initially suggesting flexibility on Tehran maintaining low-level enrichment of uranium for civilian purposes.
The top Iranian diplomat on Sunday reaffirmed that the issue of uranium enrichment is absolutely non-negotiable. But he said that Iran may may be open to limit the extent, level, or capacity of enrichment for the purpose of confidence-building over a specified period, similar to what has been experienced in the past.
Araghchi, who leads the Iranian delegation in the negotiations with the US, added that the primary objective of the negotiations is to get the sanctions lifted, and the issue has always been – and remains – one of the fundamental pillars of the talks.
“Fortunately, this matter has also been agreed upon by both sides,” he said.
Araghchi stressed that Iran’s positions are completely transparent and have been made clear to the other side.
“I hope that as we move forward, we will witness further progress in the negotiation process.”
This was the fourth round of talks that began nearly a month ago, marking the highest-level contact between the two countries since Washington withdrew in 2018 from a landmark nuclear deal, during President Donald Trump’s first term.
Both sides had reported progress in the previous three rounds, and on Sunday Iran’s Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the meeting was “difficult but useful” while a senior US official said Washington was “encouraged.”
In a post on X, Baqaei said the talks could help “better understand each other’s positions and to find reasonable and realistic ways to address the differences.”
The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington was “encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future,” without specifying when.
“Agreement was reached to move forward” and “continue working through technical elements,” the US official added.
Oman’s top diplomat said talks included “useful and original ideas” that reflected a shared desire to reach a deal between the two countries.
“We completed another round of talks between Iran and the United States in Muscat today. The discussions included useful and original ideas reflecting a shared wish to reach an honorable agreement. The 5th round of talks will take place once both parties... consult their leaderships,” Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X.
The fourth round that took place on Sunday was initially scheduled for May 3 but has been delayed, with mediator Oman citing “logistical reasons.”