US-Iran talks postponed due to conflicting US positions: Exclusive
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Shortly after the US imposed new sanctions on Iran, the fourth round of indirect nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran has been postponed.
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The flags of the US and Iran hang on the road leading to the Muscat International Book Fair on April 25, 2025. (AFP)
The fourth round of indirect US-Iran nuclear talks in Rome has been postponed, Iranian sources told Al Mayadeen on Thursday.
Washington and Tehran have been engaging in talks over the past month on a deal to limit Iran's nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions.
The postponement came in light of the conflicting positions taken by the US administration regarding the talks, the sources pointed out.
They added that the postponement was due to Washington’s attempt to alter the general framework of the talks, which had been previously agreed upon.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that "together with Omani and US interlocutors, we have decided to postpone the 4th round of talks for logistical and technical reasons."
Together with Omani and U.S. interlocutors, we have decided to postpone the 4th round of talks for logistical and technical reasons.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 1, 2025
On Iran's part, there is no change in our determination to secure a negotiated solution.
In fact, we are more determined than ever to achieve a…
"On Iran's part, there is no change in our determination to secure a negotiated solution," he affirmed in a post on X.
"In fact, we are more determined than ever to achieve a just and balanced deal: guaranteeing an end to sanctions, and creating confidence that Iran's nuclear program will forever remain peaceful while ensuring that Iranian rights are fully respected," the top Iranian diplomat asserted.
US expects next round of talks with Iran in 'near future'
On its part, the US said it expected the next round of talks with Iran to take place soon.
"We expect another round of talks that will take place in the near future," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters, saying that the weekend meeting had never been confirmed.
In addition, the talks between the Iranians and the Europeans, which were scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, have also been postponed, according to the sources.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the political meeting with the European troika will be held at a later date, pending the agreement of all parties.
New date contingent upon US approach
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that a new date for the fourth round of talks will be set "depending on the US approach."
"US sanctions on Iran during the nuclear talks are not helping the sides to resolve the nuclear dispute through diplomacy," the official told Reuters.
"Depending on the US approach, the date of the next round of talks will be announced."
Meanwhile, Oman's foreign minister confirmed that the talks were rescheduled "for logistical reasons," adding that "new dates will be announced when mutually agreed."
For logistical reasons we are rescheduling the US Iran meeting provisionally planned for Saturday May 3rd. New dates will be announced when mutually agreed.
— Badr Albusaidi - بدر البوسعيدي (@badralbusaidi) May 1, 2025
Baqaei asserted that his country will continue to engage "seriously and resolutely" in result-oriented talks with the US, state media reported.
Talks not a platform for Israeli messages
Touching on the matter, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Iran suggested that the postponement is a warning message indicating that Iran will not engage in "futile" talks.
The Iranian message also suggests that Tehran will not allow the talks to become a platform for relaying Israeli messages, he indicated.
Our correspondent emphasized that the nuclear talks are facing serious obstacles, adding that Iran will not participate in discussions targeting its defensive capabilities or its relations with its allies.
He recalled that in the first two rounds of talks, it was agreed that issues unrelated to the nuclear file would not be raised, pointing out that Iran would not allow the discussions to be used as a pressure tool.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent noted that over the past years, Tehran has succeeded in thwarting the objectives of the sanctions imposed on it.
He also highlighted that Iran is capable of confronting any American aggression, asserting that all US bases in the region are within its reach.
Read more: Iran: 0% enrichment ‘non-negotiable’, defense capabilities ‘red line'
Iran slams US over new sanctions, threats amid nuclear talks
Earlier on Thursday, Iran condemned the US for imposing new sanctions and issuing threats over its alleged support for Ansar Allah in Yemen, denouncing what it described as Washington’s “contradictory behaviour and provocative statements” amid ongoing nuclear talks.
On Wednesday, the US announced fresh sanctions on entities accused of participating in the illicit trade of Iranian oil and petrochemicals. These new restrictions come as part of a broader US effort to tighten pressure on Tehran while discussions over the Iranian nuclear file continue.
Separately, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran of consequences over its backing of Ansar Allah, who have been targeting Israeli- and American-linked ships in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Since mid-March, the US military has conducted intensive bombing campaigns against positions in Yemen, claiming to have struck more than 1,000 targets. Tehran, however, maintains that Ansar Allah operates independently.
Iran condemns American double standards
On his part, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, criticized what he described as the "contradictory approach of American decision-makers and their lack of goodwill and seriousness in advancing the path of diplomacy."
"The responsibility for the consequences and destructive effects of the contradictory behaviour and provocative statements of American officials regarding Iran will lie with the American side," Baghaei said, as reported by state media.
The renewed pressure campaign comes amid fragile nuclear talks between Iran and world powers, with Oman acting as a mediator. Despite heightened tensions, both sides have so far described the talks as "productive".
US President Donald Trump, who unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement in 2018, previously threatened military action against Iran if it refused to accept a new deal.
Read more: Araghchi: 3rd round of US-Iran talks 'extremely serious, technical'
