Iran and the United States maintained “constructive” discussions about the Iranian nuclear program.
The second round of conversations mediated by Oman in Rome took place on Saturday, a week after the first session in Muscat, the capital of Omar.
Now the “technical discussions” are expected to begin Wednesday in Oman, after which high -level meetings will be heroes to approach an agreement.
So what are these technical discussions? And is an agreement likely?
This is what you need to know:
What are these technical talks?
On Wednesday, the experts at work level on both sides will begin discussion three main themes: relief of sanctions, Iran’s nuclear program and regional security.
The regimes of sanctions imposed on Iran are complex and multiple layers, and each layer must be linked to a specific action or guarantee that Iran must undertake with respect to its nuclear program.
Three days after the thesis conversations, another round of high -level conversations in Muscat will be held.
The last two rounds were indirect conversations between Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and the special envoy of the United States Steve Witkoff, approving messages through the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Omar, Badr Albusaidi.
How do we get here?
Officials are optimistic about progress in the conversations that began with the president of the United States, Donald Trump, threatening Tehran with attacks if he did not negotiate.
At the beginning of March, Trump said he had written to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatolá Ali Khamenei, asking for conversations about the country’s nuclear program.
But the letter was a sentence through the United Arab Emirates, and the presidential diplomatic advisor of the EAU, Anwar Gargash, delivered almost a week after Trump’s announcement.
After saying that Trump’s letter had not yet been received, Khamenei declared that Iran would not accept “demands” or “intimidated governments.”
But something was defrosting in normally frozen relationships, and I was agreed to indirect conversations after Omaní mediation.
Interestingly, Oman was also the mediator of the initial secret conversations between Iran and the United States that led to JCPOA.
Will they go because it is a nuclear weapon?
Iran has not given any indication that it plans to build a nuclear weapon. In fact, the supreme leader has issued a religious decree years ago proshibiting the search for such a weapon.
When Trump’s threats intensified, Khamei said that if they will choose to pursue a nuclear weapon, no one could stop him. However, he has not reversed his decree that prohibits him.
Was there an agreement that limited Iran’s nuclear program?
There was. The 2015 joint comprehensive action plan (JCPOA) was a diplomatic victory for the administration of former US president Barack Obama.
According to the terms of the agreement, Iran promised regular inspections of its nuclear energy program in exchange for relief in some western sanctions.
However, criticizing the agreement duration of his first mandate, Trump retired from the JCPOA in May 2018 and imposed punitive sanctions to Iran.
What exactly does the United States want?
One thing that has emerged in discussions is how much enriched uranium Iranian has and at what level.
The enriched uranium is used for nuclear energy reactors, but that is usual enriched for between 3 and 5 percent.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has 274.8 kg (605.8 pounds) or enriched uranium up to 60 percent, lower than the enrichment of 90 percent necessary for a weapon.
Under the JCPOA, Iran could enrich uranium up to 3.67 percent and maintain an uranium reserve or 300 kg (661 pounds).
Witkoff has said that 3.67 percent would be an acceptable level of uranium enrichment, which is the same as agreed in the JCPOA Bajo Obama.
So why do Trump want another treatment?
It is difficult to read Trump’s mind.
But going through what he has said, he sees himself as a merchant willing to speak with anyone, even if he ends an agreement similar to the last.
It was supposedly influenced by Israel’s opinion when he said that JCPOA was a “bad business” and left it in 2018.
Israel has long seen Iran as an enemy, claiming that a bomb is in secret and is a larger regional threat than the increasingly violent occupation of Palestine of Israel.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was so interested that he dedicated part of his speech of the 2012 UN General Assembly to draw a cartoon bomb with “red lines” through it, to illustrate his point.
Since the international inspections supplied, there has been a consensus that Iran adhered to the agreement, although its enrichment levels of the sprump’s withdrawal from the JCCPOA has increased.
So will there be a deal?
It is too soon to say.
There are promising signs, such as reports that Iranian and American teams were in the same room to have eaten less part of the second round of negotiations, and the progress made in technical conversations.
Araghchi, according to Tasnim’s semi -official news agency, said: “We succeeded in achieving a better understanding of certain principles and objectives.”
He published on Saturday that “for now, optimism may be justified, but only with great caution.”
Iran has insisted that the US will guarantee that it will adhere to this agreement. For its part, the United States has insisted that Iran stops the enrichment of uranium that states that it is necessary to administer its nuclear energy program.
