Talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran's rapidly developing nuclear program seemed set to depart the Middle East on Monday, as diplomatic sources announced that the Italian government had given the go-ahead to hold the next round of negotiations. Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told journalists in Japan that the Italian government had agreed to host the talks, while his Iranian counterpart on Monday said the next round of talks will "probably be held somewhere other than Oman." "It's not an important matter," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, told journalists at a press conference in Tehran. Neither Iranian nor US officials immediately acknowledged the venue of the second round of negotiations but Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said the coming talks would be in Rome. Speaking at a meeting in Luxembourg, Veldkamp claimed the talks could take place on Saturday 19 April. However, with the change of venue, it's likely that Oman, which hosted the first round of talks on Saturday in Muscat, would continue to mediate between the two sides. Earlier on Sunday, US President Donald Trump hailed the first round of talks, describing them as "positive" and "constructive. " Trump said he expected to decide on Iran "very quickly." As the two countries approach the end of a half-century of hostility, the stakes in negotiations could not be higher. If a deal isn't reached, Trump has warned that the US could launch air strikes targeting Iran's nuclear programme, while officials in Tehran have said that their uranium stockpile, which has been enriched to levels close to weapons-grade, may be used to develop a nuclear bomb. Meanwhile, analysts say that while the US can offer sanctions relief for Iran's beleaguered economy, it remains unclear just how much Iran will be willing to concede. Judging from negotiations since 2018, Iran is expected to ask to continue enriching uranium up to at least 20%. "There must definitely be guarantees in place regarding the fulfillment of commitments," Baghaei said on Monday. "The issue of guarantees is especially important given the history of broken promises in the past. God willing, the negotiating team will continue its work with all these factors and points in mind," he added. Later this week, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, will travel to Iran for talks. After Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement, the IAEA continued to function in the Islamic Republic even as the country's government gradually reduced its access to nuclear sites. The IAEA was instrumental in confirming Iran's adherence to the agreement with the pact's other signatories. "Continued engagement and cooperation with the agency are essential at a time when diplomatic solutions are urgently needed," Grossi wrote in a post on X. — Euronews
