The United States and Iran have made "very good progress" in their ongoing direct and indirect discussions over Iran's nuclear program, a senior US official confirmed Saturday, following the conclusion of a second round of negotiations in Rome. "We agreed to meet again next week and are grateful to our Omani partners for facilitating these talks and to our Italian partners for hosting us today," the official said, noting that Saturday's talks in the Italian capital lasted over four hours. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed the sentiment, calling the discussions "constructive and good." Ahead of the third round, Araghchi confirmed that expert-level technical discussions will take place in Oman starting Wednesday. The talks — which began last Saturday in Muscat — are centered on reviving or replacing the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018 during President Donald Trump's first term. Trump has recently threatened military action against Iran if a new agreement is not reached, heightening tensions around the negotiations. The ongoing indirect format sees Oman acting as the key intermediary, relaying messages between the two sides in the absence of face-to-face diplomatic ties. — Agencies
