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Rome (AFP)
The United States and Iran on Saturday resumed high-stakes talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, a week after an initial round of discussions that both sides described as "constructive".
The Oman-mediated talks in Rome began at around 0930 GMT, according to a US official and Iranian state television.
Images broadcast by Iranian state television showed Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in the Italian capital, with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff also set to participate in the talks.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the "two delegations are in two different rooms" at the Omani ambassador's residence, with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi passing messages between them.
The meeting comes a week after the two sides had what Iran called indirect talks in Muscat. Those were the first discussions at such a high level between the foes since US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear accord in 2018.
In March Trump sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging renewed nuclear talks while also warning of military action if diplomacy failed.
"I'm not in a rush" to use the military option, Trump said on Thursday. "I think Iran wants to talk."
On Friday, Araghchi said Iran "observed a degree of seriousness" on the US side during the first round but questioned their "intentions and motivations".
In a social media post early Saturday, Baqaei said Tehran was "aware that it is not a smooth path but we take every step with open eyes, relying also on the past experiences".
The leader of mediator Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, is due in Moscow in the coming days, according to his office and the Kremlin, which said he would discuss with President Vladimir Putin "current questions on the international and regional agenda" and other issues.
'Crucial stage'
In an interview published on Wednesday by French newspaper Le Monde, the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said Iran was "not far" from possessing a nuclear bomb.
Grossi, who met Iranian officials in Tehran this week, said the US and Iran were "at a very crucial stage" in the talks and "don't have much time" to secure a deal.
'Non-negotiable'
Iranian officials have insisted that the talks focus only on its nuclear programme and lifting of sanctions.
Araghchi said a deal with the US was "likely" if Washington refrained from "making unreasonable and unrealistic demands", without elaborating.
