Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi announced on Thursday that Iran's discussions with the United States regarding its nuclear program, which his nation is facilitating, have been postponed to a later date due to "logistical reasons. "
He shared this update through a post on the X social media platform.
He mentioned, "We are postponing the US-Iran meeting initially set for Saturday, May 3rd, for logistical reasons," and he indicated that the new schedule would be revealed once both parties reach an agreement.
The discussions were supposed to occur in Rome, where the Vatican is about to initiate the conclave to elect a new pope, following the passing of Pope Francis on Wednesday.
What are the objectives of the US-Iran discussions?
The purpose of the talks is to restrict Iran's nuclear capabilities in return for a reduction of certain economic sanctions imposed on Tehran by the United States.
The negotiations have been led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
US President Donald Trump has consistently threatened to carry out airstrikes against Iran's nuclear facilities if an agreement is not finalized.
A spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei, released a comment indicating that the talks had been "postponed at the request of Oman’s foreign minister. "
He affirmed Iran's dedication to achieving "a fair and lasting agreement. "
In the meantime, a US official familiar with the discussions informed AP and Reuters that America had "never confirmed its participation" in the anticipated fourth round of dialogue in Rome.
However, this individual expressed that the US expects the negotiations to occur "in the near future. "
Escalation of rhetoric between Iran and the US
Earlier on Thursday, Iran accused the US of displaying "contradictory behavior and provocative statements" following Washington's imposition of new sanctions related to oil and warnings directed at Tehran for its support of Yemen's Houthis.
This Iranian statement followed a day after the US sanctioned entities involved in trading Iranian oil and petrochemical products.
In a separate announcement, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned Iran about possible consequences for backing the Houthis.
The Houthi rebels had begun launching attacks on vessels near the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in late 2023, responding to Israel's military actions in Gaza.
