The talks, which began in April, are the highest-level contact between the foes since the United States quit a landmark 2015 nuclear accord during President Donald Trump’s first term.
Iran wants a new deal that would ease sanctions which have battered its economy.
US envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington “could not authorise even one percent” enrichment -- a position Tehran called a red line, citing its rights under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Ahead of Friday’s talks, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said “fundamental differences” remained with the United States, while adding that Tehran was open to its nuclear sites undergoing more inspections.
Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported that the talks in the Italian capital were scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT).
The deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, aimed to allay Western suspicions that Iran was seeking a nuclear weapons capability, an ambition that Tehran has consistently denied.
A year later, Iran responded by ramping up its nuclear activities.
‘It’s quite simple’
“It’s quite simple; if the US expects Iran to halt nuclear enrichment, then there can’t be a deal,“ said Mohammad Marandi, a political scientist who was once an adviser on the nuclear issue.
“The Netherlands, Belgium, South Korea, Brazil and Japan enrich (uranium) without possessing nuclear weapons,“ its spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said.
In a letter to the United Nations, Araghchi wrote: “We believe that in the event of any attack on the nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Zionist regime, the US government will also be involved and bear legal responsibility.”
The White House said Trump had a “productive discussion” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday about Iran and the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington.
Friday’s talks will be held before an IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna in June during which Iran’s nuclear activities will be reviewed.
The agreement’s three European parties -- Britain, France and Germany -- have warned they will trigger the mechanism if the continent’s security is threatened.
Iran’s top diplomat Araghchi said such a move would have “consequences -- not only the end of Europe’s role in the agreement, but also an escalation of tensions that could become irreversible”.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Iran, US to hold new round of nuclear talks in Rome )
Also on site :