Ahead of Iran talks, US toughens stance

KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran and the United States are expected to resume direct nuclear negotiations in Oman on Sunday, with the Trump administration waning of pulling out if the discussions make no headway.

Oman, which mediates the negotiations, had sought Iran’s viewpoint about the date for the fourth round of talks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said.

IRNA quoted the minister as saying: “We conveyed that we agree. They Apparently, they (the Omanis) have talked to the US as well, and as of now, the negotiations are scheduled to be held on Sunday.”

Araqchi noted the talks were moving forward, suggesting that more consultations and reviews were needed. The delegations required time to analyse the issues raised, he argued.

The talks kicked off on April 12 in the Omani capital, with the second taking place on April 19 in Rome and the third on April 26 in Oman again.

Meanwhile, US special envoy Steve Witkoff warned if the talks failed to make progress, “then they won’t continue and we’ll have to take a different route.”

Witkoff told Breitbart: “Hopefully this Sunday they will be productive. Hopefully that means they will continue those talks.”

“An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line. No enrichment. That means dismantlement, it means no weaponisation …”

PAN Monitor/mud