Omani mediator says Iran-US talks made ‘some but not conclusive progress’

Iran and the United States made “some but not conclusive progress” in a fifth round of negotiations in Rome over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme, the talks’ Omani mediator said.

The remarks by Badr al-Busaidi suggested the negotiations between the two long-time enemies would continue even as the talks run up against their toughest challenge: Trying to find middle ground between American demands that Iran stop enriching uranium while Tehran insists its programme must continue.

“The fifth round of Iran US talks have concluded today in Rome with some but not conclusive progress,” Mr al-Busaidi wrote.

“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.”

US officials up to President Donald Trump insist Iran cannot continue to enrich uranium at all in any deal that could see sanctions lifted on Tehran’s struggling economy.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi early on Friday insisted online that no enrichment would mean “we do NOT have a deal.”

“Figuring out the path to a deal is not rocket science,” Mr Araghchi wrote on X. “Time to decide.”

The US was again represented in the talks by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Michael Anton, the State Department’s policy planning director.

Mr al-Busaidi was mediating the negotiations as the sultanate on the Arabian Peninsula has been a trusted interlocutor by both Tehran and Washington in the talks.

Multiple convoys arrived at the Omani Embassy in Rome’s Camilluccia neighbourhood just after 1pm. The embassy previously served as the site of another round of talks. Iranian media said the talks started at 1.30pm.

After about two-and-a-half hours, a convoy left the embassy compound. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, at the embassy in Rome, told state television that it was Mr Witkoff leaving because he needed to catch a flight.

Mr Baghaei said the talks had continued without Mr Witkoff in a “sane and calm atmosphere.”

Mr Araghchi announced online the talks were over just after 5pm.