President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that recent discussions with Iran were highly encouraging, as the fifth round of indirect negotiations took place between the two nations.
Addressing the press, Trump conveyed optimism regarding a potential breakthrough in the talks. “We had some very good talks with Iran yesterday and today, and let’s see what happens. But I think we could have some good news on the Iran front,” he said.
Trump went on to link the Iran talks with efforts to calm the conflict in Gaza, noting ongoing diplomatic outreach in the region. “Likewise, with Hamas on Gaza. We want to see if we can stop that. And Israel, we’ve been talking to them, and we want to see if we can stop that whole situation as quickly as possible. But having to do with nuclear, we’ve had some very, very good talks with Iran, and I don’t know if I’ll be telling you anything good or bad over the next two days, but I have a feeling I might be telling you something good. We’ve had some real progress, serious progress.”
Following these latest meetings, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi provided a similarly upbeat assessment of the dialogue, expressing cautious optimism about the trajectory of the discussions. “We have just completed one of the most professional rounds of talks,” Araghchi told state TV on Friday. “We firmly stated Iran’s position… The fact that we are now on a reasonable path, in my view, is itself a sign of progress.”
A high-ranking U.S. official echoed those sentiments, characterizing the latest nuclear negotiations as “constructive.” The official acknowledged that although headway had been made, challenges remain. “We made further progress, but there is still work to be done,” the official stated, confirming that both parties plan to reconvene “in the near future.”
Despite signs of movement, Iran has maintained its firm stance on uranium enrichment, declaring that its right to do so is not up for debate. This position stands in direct contrast to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who has deemed enrichment a “red line.”
Ahead of the recent session, Araghchi underscored Iran’s unwavering position with a pointed message on social media. “Figuring out the path to a deal is not rocket science: Zero nuclear weapons = we DO have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal. Time to decide…”
Even as initial talks were broadly viewed in a positive light, skepticism remains. Just last week, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, voiced reservations about the likelihood of any real breakthrough.
{Matzav.com}