U.S. and Iran Conclude Third Round of Talks... Disagreement Over Permitting Uranium Enrichment

Scheduled to Meet Again on the 3rd of Next Month

The United States and Iran, which are in the midst of nuclear negotiations, held their third round of talks in Oman on the 26th (local time), but concluded the discussions without narrowing their differences over key issues such as permitting Iran's uranium enrichment.

However, both sides refrained from making negative forecasts about the outcome of the negotiations and expressed their intention to continue the dialogue. The next round of talks has been tentatively scheduled for the 3rd of next month.

According to foreign media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the same day, the U.S. and Iranian delegations failed to bridge their differences on core issues, including allowing Iran to conduct its own uranium enrichment activities, during the third round of negotiations, which lasted more than four hours.

The United States and Iran held their third round of talks in Oman on the 26th (local time) but concluded the discussions without bridging their differences. Yonhap News

Previously, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States could accept Iran importing low-enriched uranium from abroad for use in civilian nuclear programs such as power generation, instead of conducting its own uranium enrichment activities. In response, Iran rejected this position, asserting that it has the right to produce uranium for civilian purposes, not for nuclear weapons development.

This difference in positions has emerged as a major obstacle to progress in the nuclear negotiations, which began earlier this month, and it was reported that both sides clashed over this issue during the third round of talks as well.

After the negotiations ended, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian state television that "there were differences on both major issues and details," adding that some differences were "very serious." Regarding whether the two sides would ultimately reach an agreement, he said, "I am hopeful, but at the same time, very cautious."

A senior official from the Trump administration described the talks as "positive and productive," according to the WSJ, but refrained from commenting on the areas where the two sides disagreed. The official added that both sides would meet again soon in Europe.