The fifth round of indirect negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States concluded on Saturday in Rome, Italy, with both sides describing the atmosphere as professional and constructive, though a final agreement remains elusive.

As in previous rounds, the high-level talks were led by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi and U.S. President’s Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. The session was again mediated by Oman’s Foreign Minister, Sayyid Badr Al-Busaidi, who has played a key role in facilitating dialogue between the two nations.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei described the atmosphere of the negotiations as “professional, calm, and reasonable,” adding that additional details would be shared once both sides had a chance to evaluate the outcomes. Araqchi arrived in Rome on Friday, accompanied by a senior delegation that included Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi, and other diplomatic experts.

The Iranian delegation has maintained a firm stance on its core issues throughout the negotiation process. Prior to his departure for Rome, Araqchi emphasized this position on his X (formerly Twitter) account, writing: “Figuring out the path to a deal is not rocket science: Zero nuclear weapons = we DO have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal.”

Following the conclusion of the talks, mediator Sayyid Badr Al-Busaidi posted on X, “The fifth round of Iran-U.S. talks have concluded today in Rome with some but not conclusive progress. We hope to clarify the remaining issues in the coming days, to allow us to proceed towards the common goal of reaching a sustainable and honourable agreement.”

While no breakthrough has yet been announced, the continued engagement and relatively positive tone from both sides signal a cautious optimism that further progress may be possible in the coming rounds. (ILKHA)