Iran calls 5th round of talks with US ‘most professional yet’

TEHRAN, Iran

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the latest round of indirect negotiations with the US in Rome on Friday as "one of the most professional."

Speaking to the media following the conclusion of the fifth round of talks in the Italian capital, Araghchi said Iran presented its "positions and principles" during this round, calling it "one of the most professional so far."

He emphasized that Iran's stance is "completely clear" and that it "stands firm on it," referring to the enrichment program.

Araghchi said he believes a "better and clearer understanding" of Iran’s positions has now developed on the American side, noting that the Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi in this round made efforts to introduce solutions aimed at overcoming existing challenges and achieving progress.

Iran's lead negotiator noted that various ideas were discussed between the two sides on Friday, and that the proposals pitched by Omani Foreign Ministry require further review by both Tehran and Washington, with no commitments made at this stage.

"Our plan is to review these new solutions and proposals that, while preserving the principles and positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran, could potentially be helpful," Araghchi stated.

He added that the next round of talks would be held after both sides have shared their views on the proposals and solutions, paving the way for more detailed discussions.

In a separate statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the negotiations on Friday were held in a "calm and professional atmosphere."

He noted that in this round, Iran’s "fundamental positions" were once again "clearly and transparently articulated."

"It was agreed that alongside further reviews in the respective capitals, the Omani Foreign Minister would continue working on the details of the proposed ideas and provide them to both sides for further examination," said the spokesperson.

He said that the time and location of the next round of negotiations would be determined and announced later.

Earlier, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X that the fifth round of talks concluded with "some but not conclusive progress."

"We hope to clarify the remaining issues in the coming days, to allow us to proceed towards the common goal of reaching a sustainable and honourable agreement," he wrote.

The latest round of talks came amid intense speculation regarding the trajectory of the negotiations, with Iranian officials expressing strong objections to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump and his envoy for West Asian affairs, Steve Witkoff.

The issue of uranium enrichment has emerged as a key sticking point in the ongoing talks, with the US calling for its dismantling while Iran insists that the program will continue "with or without a deal."

Before departing for Rome on Friday, Araghchi said: "Figuring out the path to a deal is not rocket science."

"Zero nuclear weapons = we DO have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal," he wrote on X. "Time to decide."

On Tuesday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also voiced skepticism about the ongoing negotiations, stating that he does not believe they will yield any meaningful results.