Iran and the United States have agreed to entrust expert groups to start drawing a framework for a possible nuclear agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Angeki said.
In the second, indirect talks that the two countries’ delegations had within a week, Arakzi negotiated for nearly four hours in Rome with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkov, through a official.
Trump, who left the nuclear deal between Tehran and the West during his first term in 2018, has threatened to attack Iran if he does not soon reach a new deal that would prevent him from developing nuclear weapons. Iran, who insists that its nuclear program only has peaceful purposes, says it is willing to discuss limited cuts in exchange for removing international sanctions.
“Experts will have the opportunity to start engraving the framework of an agreement”
Speaking on Iranian television after the talks, Arakzi described them as useful. “We have managed to make some progress in certain principles and goals and ultimately, to come up with a better understanding. It was agreed to continue the negotiations and move on to the next phase, where meetings between experts will begin on Wednesday in Oman. Experts will have the opportunity to start engraving the framework of an agreement, “he added.
The heads of the negotiating teams will meet again in Oman next Saturday to examine the work that these experts have done.
“We cannot say with certainty that we are optimistic. We move on with great reservation. There is also no reason to be overly pessimistic, “Arakzi said, repeating the comments made last week by the top religious leader of Iran Ali Khamenei.
The Iranian minister also noted that in talks the US has not raised any issue other than the nuclear program. “The Americans have so far no discussion outside the issue of nuclear,” said Abbas Arakzi, speaking to the Iranian agency Tasnim.
Some media have said that on the agenda of talks would also be the Iran ballistic development program or the support it provides to armed organizations, hostile to Israel, such as Lebanese Hezbollah.
