Iran’s top diplomat announced Wednesday that Tehran and Washington will restart talks on Iran’s nuclear program in Rome this weekend.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the development on the sidelines of a Cabinet meeting that the next round talks mediated by Oman is scheduled for Saturday in the Italian capital, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Washington has not yet commented.
A separate meeting with representatives from Germany, France and Britain is planned for Friday. While there was no immediate confirmation from the German Foreign Office, the news site Iran Nuances reported that the talks are to take place at the level of deputy foreign ministers.
"In my opinion, the three European countries have lost their role (in the nuclear file) due to the wrong policies they have adopted. Of course, we do not want this and are ready to hold talks with them in Rome," Araqchi told state media.
Reuters reported on Monday that Tehran had proposed meeting the European countries, collectively known as the E3, which are parties to Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.
The landmark deal between Iran and six other powers aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
E3 political directors confirmed they would meet with Iran on Friday.
Trump is now pursuing a new agreement with Tehran. Iranian and U.S. negotiators, including Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, have already met twice in Oman and once in Rome.
Tehran hopes fresh talks could ease international sanctions and reduce regional military tensions. Iran remains largely isolated over its nuclear ambitions, alleged human rights abuses and support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A U.N. Security Council resolution ratifying the 2015 accord expires in October, and France's foreign minister said on Tuesday that Paris would not think twice about reimposing international sanctions if negotiations fail to reach a deal.
"These sanctions would permanently close off Iranian access to technology, investment, and the European market, with devastating effects on the country's economy," French top diplomat Jean-Noel Barrot said.
Iran's U.N. representative responded: "If France and its partners are truly seeking a diplomatic solution, they must stop threatening."
On Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on what it described as a network based in Iran and China accused of procuring ballistic missile propellant ingredients for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Araqchi said U.S. sanctions during negotiations sent the "wrong message."
Trump has said he is confident of clinching a new pact that would block Iran's path to a nuclear bomb.
