US-Iran Nuclear Talks: All You Need To Know
The Islamic Republic of Iran confirmed that the second round of nuclear talks with the United States will take place in Rome this weekend. On April 12, both parties successfully held the opening round of talks in Oman to reach a nuclear agreement, which is meant to limit Iranian nuclear program activities in return for sanctions relief.
Since both the negotiators – Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump – expressed their contentment over the first round of talks, the next round is expected to be more effective. While Iran’s foreign minister termed the earlier meeting ‘constructive,’ the US president said the talks are ‘going okay.’
Trump’s Letter To Khamenei
In an interview with US media house Fox News last month, Trump revealed that he had written a letter to Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei to initiate nuclear talks between the two countries, kickstarting the US’s re-engaging Iran in a nuclear deal after years. The aftermath of the letter saw threats from both sides as Iran rejected the new negotiation offer initially. Following this, President Trump warned of a never-seen bombing in Iran if Tehran is not ready for a deal with Washington. Iran responded by dismissing the possibility of direct engagement with the US and expressed its willingness for an indirect talk.
Both countries eventually agreed to hold the meeting, leading to the first talks in Muscat through Omani mediators. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and other US delegates began the first talks in Muscat in separate rooms with Omani mediators relaying the messages.
Iran’s Nuclear Programme And Subsequent Issues
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), is an International agreement of 1968 signed by all member countries, including Iran. The treaty aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while allowing countries to use non-military nuclear technology in sectors such as medicine, agriculture, and energy.
Iran’s nuclear programme, however, came under suspicion of developing nuclear weapons in the early 2000s. Although Iran asserted its nuclear facilities are only meant for civilian purposes, several countries and the global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), were not convinced. In 2002, the suspicions regarding Iran’s nuclear programme were further heightened after the discovery of a secret nuclear facility in the country.
As the concerns about Iran grew further, with more accusations of misusing the nuclear programme, the UN, the US, and the EU imposed wide-ranging economic sanctions on the country starting in 2010. The sanctions led to an economic recession in the country and the value of its currency fell to record lows as they were unable to sell oil on international markets.
While the Persian State went through misery for years, the negotiations led by then-US president Barack Obama reached an agreement in 2015. The negotiations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) lifted the sanctions on Iran in exchange for limitations on its nuclear activities. It also allowed the IAEA to access all the nuclear facilities of Iran and to conduct inspections on suspected sites.
But the JCPOA, set up for 15 years, faced a setback when new President, Donald Trump, came to power in 2018 as he pulled away from the deal. Claiming it was a ‘bad deal’ and demanding an expanded agreement, Trump reimposed the previous sanctions on Iran.
The US move made Iran rethink its commitments to JCPOA, and the country hence started enriching uranium. While nuclear weapons require uranium enriched to around 90% purity, the JCPOA allowed Iran to possess only 300 kg of uranium enriched to 3.67%, which can be used for civilian purposes. However, according to the IAEA, by March 2025, Iran possessed about 275kg of uranium purified to 60%, which can make about six nuclear weapons if further purified.
What Are The Demands Of The US and Iran?
As the talks between the US and Iran move to the next phase, the contrasting demands of both parties will be challenging. Donald Trump wants a ‘better’ deal than the JCPOA, aiming complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear ability. US envoy Steve Witkolf says that Iran has to stop and eliminate nuclear enrichment rather than stick to the 3.67% set by the JCPOA. Notably, Trump has repeatedly threatened bombing unless Iran agrees to a deal, probably to the US terms and conditions.
On the other hand, Iran is of the view that losing the right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable at tall. Foreign Minister Agarchi said that they are ready to engage with the US, but Trump will retreat from his threats.
(This story is part of a Timeline internship project)
