US and Iran Nuclear Talks Intensify as Both Sides Seek Breakthrough. I am right now not very far from the Grand Bazaar, the commercial heart of Tehran. And people in this area, people in this country, are watching these negotiations very closely because they have a lot riding on them.
They hope that if the negotiations are successful, that sanctions could be lifted, giving the economy here a boost—giving people a welcomed relief. And they hope that it could prevent a conflict, a military conflict, with Israel, the United States, or Israel and the United States together.
And President Trump has said that he wants to give diplomacy a chance, but he is still leaving the option—the military option—on the table.
These talks are focused on Iran’s nuclear program. Now, Iran has a nuclear program, and it says it is strictly for civilian use—that is, for power generation and also creating radioactive isotopes for medical purposes. But Iran does enrich uranium beyond the level that is required for any civilian capacities. So that is the issue.
President Trump says this country cannot develop a nuclear weapon, and Iran says it might do that if the talks are unsuccessful. So they are critical for Iran, and they are critical for the stability of the region—and they are moving very quickly.
They began a week ago, and they are resuming again today in Rome with President Trump’s envoy Witkoff and the Iranian foreign minister. And they are being mediated by the Omanis, actually taking place in Rome at the ambassador’s residence.
The government here—not just the people—is also supporting these talks. They have been endorsed by Iran’s supreme leader. And yesterday, we were at a mosque, a mosque that is full of people you might consider hard-liners—a lot of soldiers.
And even there, in one of the most, let’s say, traditionally anti-American places in this entire country, the preacher was talking about the importance of these negotiations.
Source: raialkhalij + aljazeera