MUSCAT/TEHRAN: Iran and the United States wrapped up nuclear talks in Oman on Sunday with no apparent breakthrough in a public standoff over enrichment, but with both sides confirming plans for future negotiations.

This was the fourth round of talks that began nearly a month ago, marking the highest-level contact between the two foes since Washington withdrew in 2018 from a landmark nuclear deal, during President Donald Trump’s first term.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday described as “unacceptable”, calls by US officials for Iran to dismantle its nuclear facilities.

“The discussion that has been raised about dismantling Iran’s entire nuclear facilities is unacceptable to us,” he said, adding that “Iran will not give up its peaceful nuclear rights”.

Earlier, both sides had reported progress in the previous three rounds, and on Sunday Iran said the meeting was “difficult but useful” while a senior US official said Washington was “encouraged”.

The official said Washington was “encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future”, without specifying when.

In a post on X, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that the “next round will be coordinated and announced by Oman”, which in turn said “the talks will take place once both parties... consult their leaderships”.

According to the US official, the talks were “both direct and indirect, and lasted over three hours”. “Agreement was reached to move forward” and “continue working through technical elements”, the official added.

Baqaei had earlier said negotiators would push for relief from US sanctions. Iran entered the talks saying that its right to maintain uranium enrichment was “non-negotiable”, while Washington’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff has called it a “red line”.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2025