WANA (Apr 19) – A few hours ago, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, along with his accompanying delegation, arrived in Rome, the capital of Italy. The delegation, which includes officials such as Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Kazem Gharibabadi, and a group of experts and aides from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is set to engage in a new round of indirect negotiations with the American side today, as part of what has come to be known as the “Muscat Talks.”

According to the information available to the media so far, a bilateral meeting between Araghchi and his Italian counterpart is expected to take place at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

The indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. are set to begin at 11:00 AM local time in Italy (12:30 PM Tehran time), and will be held at a diplomatic venue belonging to the Sultanate of Oman in Italy.

 

As in the first round of talks held in Oman, Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi will participate as a mediator and host. On the other side, Steve Witkoff the U.S. President’s special envoy, has arrived in Rome along with his team of advisors and assistants.

 

While no official details have been released about the agenda of this round of discussions, evidence and analysis suggest that the focus will largely mirror that of the initial talks in Oman. Some sources believe that American officials’ public statements differ from the actual content of discussions behind closed doors, making it difficult to accurately predict today’s dialogue.

 

Nonetheless, the prevailing atmosphere in Rome on the eve of this sensitive meeting reflects the importance both parties attach to the ongoing negotiations. Despite the change in venue, the talks are still being referred to as the “Muscat Talks.”