Third round talks between Iran and the US over Tehran's nuclear activities were planned on Saturday, raising hopes for a new agreement that could avoid another conflict in the Middle East.
“I think we're going to do business with Iran. No one else could do that,” President Trump said in an interview with Time Magazine released Friday. During his first term, Trump abandoned his previous nuclear deal with Iran in 2018, saying it was a flawed agreement.
The talks could reduce the possibility of a US-backed Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities and restructure regional and global security by preventing nuclear weapons production. The deal can also change Iran's economic and political landscape by easing US sanctions and opening the country to foreign investors.
What's going on Saturday?
Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle Eastern envoy. Abbas Aragut, Iranian Foreign Minister. And a team of technical experts from both sides meet in the Sultan Bay, the Sultan of the Gulf of Oman, where they are intermediating consultations.
This round includes “expert talk” of nuts and bolts. This involves bringing together nuclear and financial teams from both sides and hashing technical details. These include issues such as surveillance of Iran's nuclear facilities, its uranium enrichment levels, and what will happen to stockpiling highly enriched uranium., Together with alleviating sanctions.
Trump himself defines the purpose of the negotiations that would prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. But officials in his administration have sent mixed messages about what that means. Saturday's talk will help you clarify the outline of the transaction.
What is at risk?
The new nuclear agreement can delay or avoid a wider conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States. Israel and Iran have been trading direct attacks since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023.
Last week, the New York Times reported that Israel was planning to attack Iran's nuclear power plants soon next month, but was deployed by Trump, who instead wanted to negotiate an agreement with Tehran.
In an interview during his time, Trump said he didn't stop the Israeli attacks.
“But I didn't feel comfortable with them because I think we can do business without attacks. I hope we can,” he said. “Iran does not have nuclear weapons, so it could have to attack.”
Iran concentrates uranium to about 60% purity, only a small level needed to produce weapons. According to the UN Nuclear Watchdog Agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, there are enough gatherings to build some bombs if they choose to make weapons into weapons.
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and says the IAEA has not found any signs of weaponization.
If that nuclear facility is attacked, Iran will say it will retaliate violently and will consider leaving the UN treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Iran's economy and the future of 90 million people are on the line.
The years of sanctions have produced chronic inflation – exacerbated by poor economic management and corruption. Now many Iranians feel they are trapped in a downward spiral, and hope that the US-Iran deal will help.
What happened in the previous lecture?
The first round of the Nuclear Association took place in Oman two weeks ago, followed by the second round in Rome last weekend.
Both sides say the negotiations are constructive and they are moving in the right direction.
Iranian officials say they are trying to reduce enrichment levels to a reduced level to the level designated in the 2015 nuclear agreement with the Obama administration (3.67%).
What is the sticking point?
The question of whether or not Iran will allow it to continue to enrich uranium has split Trump's advisers.
Witkov explains, along with surveillance, the agreement that could allow Iran to enrich uranium at the low levels needed to produce fuel for energy.
However, in an interview with this week's podcast, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that by importing rich uranium, like other countries, Iran can develop a private nuclear program without enriching uranium within the country.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said the US is calling for a complete dismantling of Iran's nuclear program.
Foreign Minister Araguchi said Iran has invited him to invest in the nuclear program and help build more nuclear reactors as a measure of security.
“The trillion dollar opportunities our economy presents may be open to US businesses,” Araguchi said in a speech she shared on social media. “This includes companies that help generate clean electricity from non-aqueous carbon sources.”
Agreeing with restrictions on how much Iran can enrich and what levels it can enrich will be exposed to criticism that Trump is replicating only key elements of the Obama-era nuclear deal.
Analysts say some possible measures to improve old transactions will include Iran's nuclear activities, more stringent surveillance of joint ventures to operate nuclear facilities, and Iran's guarantees permanently.
How did you get here?
Both sides were caught up in negotiations due to deep distrust.
Previous contracts between Iran, the United States and other world powers were called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
It took steps to prevent Iran from weaponizing its nuclear program by keeping uranium enriched at 3.5%, moving the enriched uranium stockpile to Russia, and allowing surveillance cameras and inspections by the IAEA.
European companies withdraw from Iran, banks halted cooperation with Iran and feared US sanctions.
About a year after reaching the contract, Iran saw no financial gains, but left its obligations, increasing its level of uranium enrichment, gradually reaching 60%.
What's coming next?
So far, it appears that there is a political will on both sides to reach a new deal.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the top leader of Iran, who previously banned negotiations with Trump, approved the talks and said the negotiating team has gained his support.
But the deal isn't necessarily round the corner.
The speech could still collapse at the technical level, which was the most difficult part of previous negotiations.
It is also possible that a provisional transaction will be reached to freeze uranium enrichment while permanent transactions are hashed.
Lala Jakes and David E. Sanger Reports of contributions.
