US-Iran nuclear talks postponed, Iran says next round ‘depends on US approach’
Iranian official says new US oil sanctions ‘not helping’ nuclear talks; Washington says it never confirmed participation in 4th round of talks in Rome, but expects them to happen soon
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A fourth round of talks between the United States and Iran, which had been due to take place in Rome on Saturday, has been postponed, and a new date will be set “depending on the US approach,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday.
Earlier on Thursday, Iran accused the US of “contradictory behavior and provocative statements” after Washington warned Tehran of consequences for backing Yemen’s Houthis and imposed new oil-related sanctions on it amid nuclear talks.
“US sanctions on Iran during the nuclear talks are not helping the sides to resolve the nuclear dispute through diplomacy,” the Iranian official told Reuters. “Depending on the US approach, the date of the next round of talks will be announced.”
Oman, which mediated earlier sessions of the US-Iran talks, said the next round of nuclear discussions provisionally planned for May 3 would be rescheduled for “logistical reasons.”
The US said that the weekend meeting had never been confirmed, but that it expected the talks to take place soon.
“We expect another round of talks that will take place in the near future,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters.
At the same time, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X: “Together with Omani and US interlocutors, we have decided to postpone the 4th round of talks for logistical and technical reasons.
“On Iran’s part, there is no change in our determination to secure a negotiated solution,” he continued.
“In fact, we are more determined than ever to achieve a just and balanced deal: guaranteeing an end to sanctions, and creating confidence that Iran’s nuclear program will forever remain peaceful while ensuring that Iranian rights are fully respected.”
Separately, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would continue to engage “seriously and resolutely” in result-oriented negotiations with the US, state media reported.
US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to attack Iran if diplomacy fails, has signaled confidence in clinching a new pact with the Islamic Republic that would block Tehran’s path to a nuclear bomb.
Trump, who has restored a “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran since February, ditched a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers in 2018 during his first term and reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran.
Iran, which is sworn to Israel’s destruction, insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but enriches uranium to levels far beyond any civilian use and obstructs inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities.
Iran and three European powers — Britain, France and Germany — were scheduled to meet in Rome on Friday to improve strained ties, Araghchi had said on Wednesday. However, the senior Iranian official who spoke to Reuters said on Thursday that it was now “not certain” whether Friday’s meeting would go ahead.
On Wednesday, Washington imposed sanctions on entities it accused of involvement in the illicit trade of Iranian oil and petrochemicals.
Separately, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran that it would face consequences for supporting the Houthis, who control northern Yemen and have been attacking ships in the Red Sea in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s war with the Hamas terror group in Gaza.
Washington has been bombing the Houthis intensively since mid-March, hitting more than 1,000 targets. Tehran claims the Houthis—whose slogan calls for “death to America, death to Israel, and a curse on the Jews” — act independently.
The Times of Israel Community.