US and Iran clash over uranium enrichment as nuclear talks resume in Rome

The U.S. and Iran resumed atomic negotiations connected Friday successful Rome arsenic differences implicit demands person spilled implicit into the nationalist sphere, making the reddish lines for some parties progressively clear. 

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this week criticized Washington’s presumption that has called for an evident prohibition connected each uranium enrichment successful Iran and suggested a woody whitethorn not beryllium possible.

The White House did not reply Fox News Digital’s questions astir whether it is successful information calling for a ban connected uranium enrichment for civilian needs similar atomic energy, but connected Friday Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters that "This circular of talks is particularly sensitive."

FILE PHOTO: An Iranian paper with a screen photograph of Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, is seen successful Tehran, Iran, Apr. 12, 2025. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)

IRAN'S KHAMENEI SAYS AMERICANS SHOULD AVOID TALKING 'NONSENSE' IN NUKE TALKS

A elder medication authoritative told Fox News that "Senior Advisor and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Policy Planning Director Michael Anton participated successful a 5th circular of talks with Iran contiguous successful Rome. 

"The discussions were some nonstop and indirect, and lasted implicit 2 hours. The talks proceed to beryllium constructive – we made further progress, but determination is inactive enactment to beryllium done," the authoritative added. "Both sides agreed to conscionable again successful the adjacent future. We are grateful to our Omani partners for their continued facilitation."

According to Iranian media outlets, Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi near the negotiations and said, "I anticipation that successful the adjacent 1 oregon 2 meetings we tin scope solutions that volition let the negotiations to progress. 

"With Oman's solutions to region obstacles, determination is simply a anticipation of progress," though helium did not grow connected what the hiccups were oregon what Oman's solutions whitethorn person been.

Araghchi, who negotiated mostly indirectly with his US counterparts done Omani mediators, made Tehran’s presumption connected Washington’s evident demands wide successful a post to X aboriginal connected Friday. 

"Figuring retired the way to a woody is not rocket science," helium said. "Zero atomic weapons = we DO person a deal. Zero enrichment = we bash NOT person a deal. 

"Time to decide," helium added.

IRAN FOREIGN MINISTER VOWS NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT WILL CONTINUE 'WITH OR WITHOUT A DEAL'

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a gathering with atomic scientists and unit of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, successful Tehran, Iran. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA/Reuters )

Iran has claimed it has nary volition of gathering a atomic weapon. But steps Tehran has taken, similar bolstering its rocket program, which could springiness it the exertion to motorboat a atomic warhead, and stockpiling capable near-weapons-grade enriched uranium to person 5 atomic weapons, person experts worried, including the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency. 

While uranium enrichment for atomic vigor is simply a powerfulness root galore countries, including the U.S., trust connected for their vigor needs, Iran's atomic vigor amounts to little than 1% of its vigor consumption. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said connected Tuesday that the U.S. is attempting to signifier a woody that would alteration Iran to person a civil nuclear energy programme that does not see enriched uranium, though helium admitted that this "will not beryllium easy".

"Washington's insistence connected zero enrichment, I think, is the lone sober, sane, non-proliferation attack you tin instrumentality [with] the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has not stopped enriching uranium astatine assorted levels since April 2006 erstwhile this full situation truly was kicked off," Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran adept and elder chap with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Fox News Digital.

U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff shakes hands with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi successful Muscat, Oman, Apr. 12, 2025. (Oman News Agency/ Handout via Reuters)

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"Iran has much to suffer by pushing distant from the table," helium continued. "Iran is engaging successful 2025 for a precise antithetic crushed than 2013 and 2015. It's trying to blunt maximum pressure. It's trying to forestall an Israeli subject attack, and it's trying to forestall European snap-back [sanctions]. 

"This is wherefore Iran is engaging today, and the Trump medication needs to beryllium cognizant that, due to the fact that of that, it does person the leverage successful these negotiations and tin request more," Ben Taleblu urged. 

Nicholas Kalman contributed to this report.