Iran Announces Delay of Fourth Round of Nuclear Talks with US

• Tehran and Washington were set to have talks on Saturday.
• The postponement follows a proposal from Oman, according to the Iranian foreign ministry.
• The US “never confirmed its participation” for this fourth round of talks.

TEHRAN: On Thursday, Iran’s foreign ministry announced that the fourth round of nuclear discussions with the United States has been delayed, following Oman’s statement that cited “logistical reasons.”

The two nations were expected to meet in Rome on Saturday, building on positive developments from previous rounds of negotiation.

“The next round of indirect talks between Iran and the US, initially set for Saturday in Rome, has been postponed,” said Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry.

He noted that the decision was influenced by Oman’s suggestion, adding that a new date would be communicated later.

Badr Albusaidi, Oman’s foreign minister, also mentioned “logistical reasons” for the change of plans.

“For logistical reasons, we are rescheduling the US-Iran meeting that was supposed to take place on Saturday, May 3. New dates will be announced once agreed upon,” he wrote on platform X.

A source close to the negotiations indicated that the US had “never confirmed its involvement” for the upcoming discussions.

Meanwhile, Iranian diplomats were slated to meet with representatives from Germany, Britain, and France in Rome ahead of the US discussions.

It remains uncertain whether these preliminary talks will proceed as planned.

The Iran-US discussions, facilitated by Oman and commencing on April 12, mark the highest-level interactions in years, as these talks follow the US’s withdrawal from a nuclear agreement with global powers in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump.

Since retaking office, Trump has strengthened his “maximum pressure” strategy against Tehran, even proposing dialogue to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in March, while warning of possible military action if diplomatic efforts fail.

Western nations, notably the United States, have long accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim that Tehran consistently denies, asserting that its nuclear program is aimed solely at peaceful civilian purposes.