Witkoff to Meet Iranian Foreign Minister in Rome for Second Round of Nuclear Talks

Iran’s foreign minister called for Washington to clarify its demands in a second round of talks concerning Iran’s nuclear programs.

(Left) U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff speaks during the FII Priority Summit in Miami Beach, Fla., on Feb. 20, 2025. (Right) Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends a press conference in Yerevan, Armenia, on March 25, 2025. Chandan Khanna, Karen Minasyan/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Rome on April 19 for a second round of talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks a new deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

During his first term in office, Trump withdrew the United States from a 2015 deal to limit Iran’s nuclear development, reimposed sanctions, and called for a new framework to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Tehran, in turn, has backed away from its commitments under the 2015 deal to cap its uranium stockpiles and limit uranium enrichment to 3.67 percent purity.

In a February report, the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concluded that Iran has stockpiled about 605 pounds of 60-percent enriched uranium. Iran would need to enrich uranium to 90 percent to achieve weapons-grade fissile material.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has resumed his push for a new deal and has recently threatened military action if Tehran doesn’t agree to new conditions.

Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for Middle East affairs, last held indirect talks with Araghchi on April 12 in Oman. During this first meeting in Muscat, Omani diplomat Badr al-Busaidi passed messages back and forth between the U.S. and Iranian representatives.

Trump has said Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon. Washington and Tehran appear to be on different pages about what other nuclear activities Iran can continue to pursue.

In an April 15 statement, Witkoff said Iran “must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.”

Araghchi, responding on April 16, said Washington has provided conflicting statements about its terms for the negotiations. The Iranian diplomat said Tehran isn’t going to abandon its uranium enrichment program altogether.

“We are ready to build trust regarding potential concerns, but the issue of enrichment is non-negotiable,” Araghchi said Wednesday.

Iran’s foreign minister said he expects Witkoff to clarify Washington’s negotiating terms during the April 19 meeting in Rome.

In another comment at a Moscow press conference on Friday, Araghchi said a new deal with the Trump administration is possible “If they demonstrate seriousness of intent and do not make unrealistic demands.”

Araghchi traveled to Russia following the April 12 talks in Oman. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Tehran intends to consult with all of the remaining parties of the 2015 nuclear deal—China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom—as they continue negotiations on a new deal with the United States.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow stands ready to help facilitate continuing talks between Washington and Tehran.

“We are ready to help, to mediate, to play any role that will be valuable from Iran’s point of view and that will be acceptable to the United States,” Lavrov said on Friday, in remarks carried by the Russian state-run TASS news agency.

Standing beside Araghchi at the Friday press conference, Lavrov said Russia is also awaiting more details on the Trump administration’s expectations in the Rome talks.

“If they offer no unrealistic and impossible demands, we will likely come to an agreement,” the Russian foreign minister said.

Trump is simultaneously trying to negotiate a new Iran nuclear deal while mediating a peace settlement in the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war.

A settlement to the Ukraine conflict has proved elusive, and Trump warned on Friday that he could pull back from the effort if he doesn’t see progress soon between Moscow and Kyiv.

Moscow has grown its diplomatic ties with Tehran since 2022, as it faces international sanctions and diplomatic isolation over its invasion of Ukraine.