(Adnkronos) – Italy has become a “peace centre” amid a widening gap between the United States and Iran in negotiations over Tehran’s controversial uranium enrichment programme, which took place in Rome on Friday.
”Rome has become a peace centre. After the success of the Oman-mediated meeting between Iran and the US on Tehran’s nuclear programme, we are ready to host a new round of talks,” Tajani told public broadcaster Rai3’s Restart programme on Monday.
”I spoke with the parties and it emerged that the risk of Iran building a nuclear weapon can be averted,” Tajani continued.
“We are supporting Oman’s proactive mediation,” Tajani said.
Iran and the US made “some but not conclusive progress” in a fifth round of negotiations in Rome last week which will reconvene this Friday, Oman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi wrote Monday on X.
Iran’s uranium enrichment programme remains the sticking-point in negotiations. Iran claims it has a sovereign right to create atomic fuel for peaceful purposes under the global Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while the US is insisting Iran stop its programme and import enriched uranium for its nuclear reactors.
Enriched uranium can be used to build a nuclear bomb and the US-Iran talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear programme in return for lifting some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on Tehran.
US president Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with military action if the two countries do not reach a deal, stressing that he will not allow Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
