New nuclear talks in Rome: time is running out, trust is dwindling!

New nuclear talks in Rome: time is running out, trust is dwindling!

On Saturday, April 18, 2025, new nuclear negotiations between the USA and Iran will take place in Rome. These talks are mediated by Oman and aim to reach a new agreement on Iran's nuclear program. In the first round, which took place a week ago in Muscat, both sides spoke of “constructive” talks. Despite these positive approaches, Tehran recently expressed “serious doubts” about Washington’s intentions. The background to this skepticism is the decades-long history of conflict and distrust between states.

Western countries accuse Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons, which Tehran vehemently denies. The discussion about Iran's nuclear program has been accompanied by political tensions and military threats for years. The US unilaterally withdrew from the international agreement signed in 2015 in 2018 under Donald Trump's presidency and has been pushing for a new agreement ever since. Since returning to the White House, Trump has again threatened military action if the talks fail.

Current developments and the Iranian parliament

The nuclear negotiations in Vienna show the ups and downs of the situation. While there was cautious optimism a week ago, there are now signs of panic. The Iranian parliament is demanding that negotiators not negotiate a return to the nuclear deal. This pressure leads to a legal decision in Iran to intentionally violate the existing treaty and upgrade uranium to higher levels of enrichment. These developments make the discussions considerably more difficult.

In a leaked conversation, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif said that both he and President Hassan Rouhani are severely restricted during negotiations. The security apparatus in Iran, especially the Revolutionary Guards, exerts influence and decisively determines the direction of the talks. Zarif also expressed concerns that Russia was not really interested in a deal to keep Iran more in its sphere of influence. This will shake the West's confidence in the seriousness of Iran's return to the agreement.

Tensions in the Persian Gulf

In addition to the complex negotiating situation, the current situation in the Persian Gulf is tense. American and Iranian warships are coming dangerously close to each other, raising the risk of military conflict if negotiations fail. Both sides, the USA and Iran, were mistaken in their expectations of the agreement and are obviously disappointed. If the process fails, the geopolitical implications could be significant, raising the possibility of further conflict in the Middle East.

With the future of negotiations uncertain and internal challenges on both sides, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop. In particular, opposition to the agreement in Tehran and the intensification of military threats could cloud the prospects for an agreement. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether a breakthrough can be achieved in the talks or whether a return to harsh measures is imminent. For further information on this topic, read vienna.at and srf.ch.