Nuclear Dial at Rome: US-Iran Talks Reignite Hopes for Diplomatic Breakthrough

The United States and Iran have commenced a second round of negotiations in Rome over Tehran's advancing nuclear program. High-level discussions involve US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. Success remains uncertain amid heightened Middle East tensions.

Signaling a potential diplomatic breakthrough, the United States and Iran have embarked on a second round of intense negotiations in Rome concerning Tehran's fast-developing nuclear program. High-level talks see US billionaire Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi engage in closed-door discussions, closely mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi.

The negotiations, happening during Easter weekend, are a significant development given the decades of conflict between the two nations. This comes after former President Donald Trump's abrupt 2018 exit from Iran's nuclear deal, which had drastically curtailed Tehran's uranium enrichment in return for easing economic sanctions. Potential outcomes of the talks could drastically alter the geopolitical landscape, with military implications looming large over the nuclear sites.

In the wider context, tensions in the Middle East have intensified, highlighted by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and US airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. These discussions are crucial, not only for the nuclear issue but also for Iran's economy, as social issues, such as the controversial hijab laws and a struggling rial currency, add domestic pressure on the Iranian government.

(With inputs from agencies.)