On Sunday in Muscat, Oman, Iran and the United States held fourth round talks on the future of Iran's nuclear program, hoping to achieve the key goals of both President Trump and Iran's leadership.
Esmeil Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, called the negotiations on the day “difficult but useful” in finding “rational and practical ways to deal with differences,” Iran's national media reported. He said that Omani mediators will coordinate and present their speeches for the next round.
Both Iran and the US say they want to resolve decades-old conflicts over Iran's nuclear activities through diplomacy, and Tehran is exchanging restrictions on its nuclear program to lift US sanctions. However, both sides remain far apart on some important issues.
The talks are being held through Omani mediators by Trump's Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkov and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragci. Witkov spoke uncompromisingly about Washington's recent position, saying the Trump administration is aiming to completely demolish Iran's nuclear facilities.
However, in a statement released by Iranian state media before negotiations resumed on Sunday, Aragucci said Iran would not accept such terms. It was “completely achievable” for Iran to promise not to pursue nuclear weapons, but its peaceful nuclear activities “have no negotiations or even trades.”
As Trump prepares to travel to the Middle East this week, the latest negotiations will take place. He threatened military action against Iran if consultations failed.
What happened in the previous lecture?
In the latest round of consultations on April 26, Witkov met with Araguchi and a team of technical experts on both sides in the Gulf Sultan of Oman for a few hours of negotiations.
Araghchi told television in the then Iranian province that the talks at the time were “very serious and productive” and focused on the details of the potential agreement. He said that although there remained a disagreement between Tehran and Washington, he was “cautiously optimistic that we can make progress.”
“We've stepped away from some of the bigger issues, but that doesn't mean we've solved all the differences,” Araguchi added.
The speech included Nuts and Bolt's “expert talks” that tied the nuclear and financial teams from both sides to haveh technical details, including surveillance of Iran's nuclear facilities and what will happen to a highly abundant uranium stockpile.
Trump defines the purpose of the negotiations that would prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. However, officials in his administration have sent mixed messages about their ultimate purpose.
The narrower goal of ensuring Iran does not have nuclear weapons will not address Iran's advanced missile programme, support for proxy militias around the Middle East, and other concerns about hostility towards Israel.
Esmail Baghhai, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said the issue of the country's defense and missile capabilities was “not even raised in indirect negotiations with the United States.”
Previous lectures were held in Oman and Rome.
What is at risk?
The talks could reduce the possibility of a US-backed Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities and restructure regional and global security by preventing nuclear weapons production.
The deal can also change Iran's economic and political landscape by easing US sanctions and opening the country to foreign investors.
The New York Times reported in mid-April that Israel planned to attack Iran's nuclear sites soon this month, but the Israelis were shaken off by Trump, who wanted to negotiate an agreement with Tehran instead.
In an interview with Time Magazine on April 25, Trump said he didn't stop the Israeli attack.
“But I don't make it comfortable for them because I think we can do a deal without attacks. I hope we can,” he said. “Iran does not have nuclear weapons, so it could have to attack.”
Iran concentrates uranium to about 60% purity, only a small level needed to produce weapons. According to the UN Nuclear Watchdog Agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, there are enough gatherings to build some bombs if they choose to make weapons into weapons.
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and says the IAEA has not found any signs of weaponization.
If that nuclear facility is attacked, Iran will say it will retaliate violently and will consider leaving the UN treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Iran's economy and the future of 90 million people are on the line.
The years of sanctions have produced chronic inflation – exacerbated by poor economic management and corruption. Now many Iranians feel they are trapped in a downward spiral, and hope that the US-Iran deal will help.
What is the sticking point?
The question of whether or not Iran will allow it to continue to enrich uranium has split Trump's advisers.
Witkov explains, along with surveillance, the agreement that could allow Iran to enrich uranium at the low levels needed to produce fuel for energy.
Iranian officials say they are willing to expand the enrichment levels to the levels specified in the 2015 nuclear agreement with the Obama administration (approximately 3.5%), and the levels needed to produce fuel for nuclear power plants.
However, in a recent podcast interview, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that by importing rich uranium, like other countries, Iran can develop a private nuclear program without enriching uranium within the country.
Foreign Minister Araguchi said Iran has invited him to invest in the nuclear program and help build more nuclear reactors as a measure of security.
“The trillion dollar opportunities our economy presents may be open to US businesses,” Araguchi said in a speech she shared on social media. “This includes companies that help generate clean electricity from non-aqueous carbon sources.”
Agreeing to agree to restrictions on how much Iran can enrich and what levels it can enrich is under criticism that Trump is replicating only key elements of the Obama-era nuclear deal.
Analysts say some possible measures to improve Obama-era transactions could include more stringent surveillance of Iran's nuclear activities, joint ventures to operate nuclear facilities and make Iran's guarantees permanent.
How did you get here?
Both sides were caught up in negotiations due to deep distrust.
The previous contract between Iran, the United States and other world powers signed during the Obama administration, was called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
It took steps to prevent Iran from weaponizing its nuclear program by keeping uranium enrichment at about 3.5%, moving the enriched uranium stockpile to Russia, and allowing surveillance cameras and inspections by the IAEA.
Trump unilaterally ended nuclear deals in 2018. European companies then withdrew from Iran, and banks stopped cooperation with Iran for fear of US sanctions.
About a year after Trump left the agreement, Iran has not seen any financial gains, but has left its obligations, increasing that level of uranium enrichment, gradually reaching 60%.
What's coming next?
So far, there appears to be a political will on both sides to reach a new deal, and debate is expected to continue.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the top leader of Iran, who previously banned negotiations with Trump, approved the talks and said the negotiating team has gained his support.
But the deal isn't necessarily round the corner.
The speech could still collapse at the technical level, which was the most difficult part of previous negotiations.
It is also possible that a provisional transaction will be reached to freeze uranium enrichment while permanent transactions are hashed.
Reported by Lara Jakes, David E. Sanger and Leelee Niconazar.
