ROME, May 23 – Iranian and American officials reopened nuclear negotiations in Rome on Friday amid deepening tensions and entrenched positions, Iranian state media reported, casting doubt on whether a new agreement can be reached.
Led by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, the fifth round of discussions is being brokered through Omani mediators.
“This round of talks is especially sensitive,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Iranian state television. “We need to see what issues will be raised by the other party, and based on that, we will proceed with our positions.”
While Iran maintains the talks remain indirect, U.S. officials have said otherwise, pointing out that both direct and indirect engagement has taken place, including during the last session held in Oman on May 11.
The negotiations center on two central, seemingly incompatible goals. The U.S. seeks to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon—an outcome that could ignite a regional arms race and endanger allies such as Israel. Tehran, in contrast, demands the removal of crippling economic sanctions, particularly those targeting its oil exports.
In a post on social media platform X, Araqchi framed the issue starkly: “Zero nuclear weapons = we DO have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal. Time to decide.”
President Donald Trump, who dismantled the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement during his previous term and reinstated broad sanctions, has continued his “maximum pressure” strategy since returning to office this year. Despite that, the White House remains cautiously optimistic.
“President Trump believes the negotiations are moving in the right direction,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday.
Still, major obstacles remain. Iran refuses to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium or to discuss its ballistic missile program, both considered potential pathways to nuclear weaponization. Tehran insists its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who wields ultimate authority in Iran, has dismissed Western demands to halt uranium enrichment altogether. “These demands are excessive and outrageous,” Khamenei said, warning that such conditions would doom the talks.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the administration’s position earlier this week, stating Washington seeks an agreement that permits Iran a civilian nuclear program without enrichment capabilities. “This will not be easy,” he admitted.
Wendy Sherman, a key architect of the 2015 nuclear deal, said that any new agreement would have to reckon with Iran’s insistence on its right to enrich uranium. “I don’t think it is possible to get a deal with Iran where they literally dismantle their program,” Sherman told Reuters. “Even though that would be ideal, enrichment is a sovereignty issue for Tehran.”
As the diplomatic effort unfolds, Israeli officials are also in Rome for parallel discussions. A source told Reuters that Israel’s strategic affairs minister and the head of its Mossad intelligence service are holding meetings with U.S. negotiators.
Israel views Iran’s nuclear capability as an existential threat and has vowed not to allow Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons. A CNN report suggesting Israel might be planning strikes on Iranian facilities prompted Araqchi to warn: “If Israel attacks our nuclear sites, Washington will bear legal responsibility.”
Despite the high stakes, Iranian insiders say the leadership has no clear backup plan should negotiations fail.
“The cost of failure is significant,” said one Iranian source familiar with the talks. “Without a deal, the path forward becomes dangerously unpredictable.”
