Trump: We Will Decide on Iran Soon; Next Negotiation Venue in 'Rome'

Media reports indicate that the next round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran will take place on Saturday, April 30, in the Italian capital. Simultaneously, the President of the United States stated that a decision regarding Iran will be made soon. Donald Trump said early Monday, April 25, while aboard Air Force One, that he had discussed Iran with his advisors and expects to make a decision shortly. He did not provide further details, only stating, 'We will decide on Iran very quickly.' The U.S. President had previously stated that he would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons and that there are two options: an agreement or military action against Tehran. Iranian officials deny efforts to produce nuclear weapons but have recently spoken about the possibility of 'changing their nuclear doctrine.' Trump's remarks came after the return of Steve Wightkoff, his special envoy, to the United States. The second round of negotiations in 'Rome' is likely to move the nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. out of the Middle East, and according to an Italian government source, the next round of negotiations will be held in Rome on Saturday. The Dutch Foreign Minister also confirmed this. Antonio Tajani, the Italian Foreign Minister, told reporters that his country has given the green light for the next round of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations in Rome. However, Iranian and U.S. officials have not yet officially announced the location of the negotiations. Ismail Baqaei, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference on Monday that the next round of negotiations might take place somewhere other than Oman, but he described this matter as 'unimportant.' According to Axios, the proposal to change the venue of negotiations to Rome was made by the American side. Steve Wightkoff and Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, held the first round of nuclear negotiations in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on April 22, and both sides described it as constructive and positive. Baqaei: U.S. Officials Need to Resolve Their Contradictory Positions Ismail Baqaei, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, commented on recent statements from the U.S. State Department spokesperson, including that Iran needs to show more seriousness and the threats expressed in this regard, stating: 'These are contradictory positions raised by various American officials, and they need to resolve this contradiction.' Tammy Bruce, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, said on Thursday that the meeting on Saturday between the U.S. and Iran will determine whether Tehran is serious in its positions or not. U.S. officials have always emphasized the military option in case negotiations with Iran fail. Baqaei added, 'One of the reasons for indirect negotiations is that you cannot claim to negotiate while simultaneously continuing pressure, and such an approach is absolutely unacceptable.' He stated, 'Negotiations will continue indirectly with Omani mediation, and as the Foreign Minister mentioned, the next round of negotiations will likely be somewhere other than Oman.' The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman announced that at this stage, it is not possible to comment on the presence of JCPOA members and the agency in the negotiating team and emphasized that discussions will focus solely on lifting sanctions and nuclear issues. Ismail Baqaei also announced that Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, will travel to Russia later this week 'to discuss various issues, including the latest developments in Muscat.' The 45-minute conversation between Araghchi and Wightkoff Axios also reported, citing an informed source, that Steve Wightkoff and Abbas Araghchi spoke for 'about 45 minutes' during the negotiations in Oman. Iranian and U.S. officials have not yet reacted to this report. The Iranian Foreign Minister had previously only mentioned a 'few minutes' conversation when the Iranian and U.S. delegations were leaving and stated that this was 'an accepted matter' and 'not something extraordinary.' According to Axios, with the 45-minute conversation between the two sides' representatives, the Trump administration proceeded according to plan in the first round of negotiations and achieved the goal of changing the negotiations from indirect to direct. Axios quoted the unnamed informed source as describing the conversation between Steve Wightkoff and Abbas Araghchi as 'important, serious, and excellent,' noting that this was the highest level of dialogue between Iranian and U.S. officials in the past eight years. Previously, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Iranian officials, that Tehran might announce its readiness to return to the uranium enrichment levels set in the JCPOA during these negotiations and, in exchange, demand a reduction in U.S. sanctions, the release of frozen assets, and a halt to pressure on Chinese buyers of Iranian oil. The New York Times also reported, citing informed officials, that Steve Wightkoff did not demand a complete halt to uranium enrichment from the Islamic Republic during his conversation with Abbas Araghchi, and the main focus of the negotiations was 'to ensure that Iran does not divert existing materials towards nuclear weapons production.' According to Axios, after returning to the United States, Steve Wightkoff briefed Donald Trump on the negotiations on Sunday. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described Wightkoff's talks with Iran as a step forward while warning that if negotiations fail, the military option will be on the table 'which, of course, I hope we never have to make such a decision.' Meanwhile, Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, spoke with his counterparts in Qatar, Kuwait, and Egypt on Sunday, updating them on the negotiations. Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian President, also expressed gratitude during the cabinet meeting for the 'permission' from the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic to begin these negotiations. At the same time, Kazem Gharibabadi, the Deputy Minister for Legal and International Affairs, announced that Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, will arrive in Tehran on Wednesday evening, prior to the second round of U.S.-Iran negotiations. He will meet and discuss with the Foreign Minister and the head of the Atomic Energy Organization. Grossi had previously expressed hope that these negotiations would help Iran and the U.S. resolve their differences and reach an agreement. In his recent quarterly reports to the Board of Governors, the Director General expressed concern over the increase in the stockpile of 60% enriched uranium. Concerns in Israel over a 'soft' U.S. nuclear deal with Iran Axios reported on Tuesday that Israel is pressuring the United States to consider military options in case negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program fail. According to sources from this media, Steve Wightkoff briefed Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer on the results of the first round of negotiations with Iranian officials in Oman. Israel is skeptical about negotiations with Iran, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that only an agreement similar to the 'Libya model' that destroys Iran's nuclear facilities and equipment can be considered a good deal. Axios writes: 'Israel has serious doubts about achieving an agreement through these negotiations and has asked the White House to coordinate military options in case talks fail.' In contrast, Iran is concerned that Washington may withdraw from any potential agreement as it did in 2018. These sources also added that Wightkoff discussed the first round of negotiations with officials from Gulf countries, while Abbas Araghchi also contacted his counterparts in Qatar, Kuwait, and Egypt to update them on the talks. 'Ynet,' the Israeli news website of Yedioth Ahronoth, reported on Sunday, April 24, that Israeli officials are worried about the 'soft stance' of the United States in nuclear negotiations with Iran. This report states that 'despite the absence of any official updates, Jerusalem relies on Iranian reports and fears that an agreement will be reached that may not prevent Tehran after the Trump era; officials privately believe that a bad agreement is worse than no agreement and prefer a credible military option.' According to this report, although not officially announced, officials in Jerusalem have privately acknowledged that a potential agreement under the current U.S. administration would be 'deeply problematic,' especially given the assumption that Trump will not remain in power after his current term. 'Ynet' reports that given reports indicating that Iran has acquired enough material for six nuclear bombs, Israeli officials are concerned that reaching an agreement at this stage could place the Islamic Republic on the brink of nuclear breakout capability after Trump's term ends. This source adds that some in Israel privately hope that these negotiations will fail, paving the way for a credible military option. According to this report: 'Israeli officials are also cautious about Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, who is known for his negotiation skills. In Jerusalem, there are fears that he could deceive the American delegation or delay negotiations until Trump loses his patience and hastily agrees to a deal.' France: U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Must Align with European Interests Jean-Noël Barrot, the French Foreign Minister, announced on Tuesday that France, Britain, and Germany will remain vigilant regarding U.S.-Iran nuclear talks to ensure that these negotiations align with European security interests concerning Iran's nuclear program.