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Iran and the US Begin a Second Round of Negotiations over Tehran's Nuclear Program in Rome

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was a negotiator of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Tatyana MAKEYEVA / POOL/AFP
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was a negotiator of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Tatyana MAKEYEVA / POOL/AFP
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Iran and the US Begin a Second Round of Negotiations over Tehran's Nuclear Program in Rome

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was a negotiator of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Tatyana MAKEYEVA / POOL/AFP
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was a negotiator of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Tatyana MAKEYEVA / POOL/AFP

Iran and the United States began a second round of negotiations Saturday over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program in Rome, US and Iranian officials said.
The US official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations at the Omani Embassy in Rome’s Camilluccia neighborhood. Iranian state media also reported the talks starting just before noon Saturday as journalists watched outside.
The talks in Italy over Easter weekend again will hinge on US billionaire Steve Witkoff, the US Mideast envoy of President Donald Trump, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Whether the two men find common ground in the high-stakes negotiations could mean success or failure in the talks, The Associated Press said.
The negotiations will again be mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi.
That talks are even happening represents a historic moment, given the decades of enmity between the two countries since the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the US Embassy hostage crisis. Trump, in his first term, unilaterally withdrew from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018, setting off years of attacks and negotiations that failed to restore the accord that drastically limited Tehran's enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
At risk is a possible American or Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, or the Iranians following through on their threats to pursue an atomic weapon. Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East have spiked over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and after US airstrikes targeting Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi group killed more than 70 people and wounded dozens more.
“I’m for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon,” Trump said Friday. “I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei wrote Saturday on the social platform X that Iran “always demonstrated, with good faith and a sense of responsibility, its commitment to diplomacy as a civilized way to resolve issues."
“We are aware that it is not a smooth path, but we take every step with open eyes, relying also on the past experiences,” he added.
Araghchi met Saturday morning with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani ahead of “indirect” talks with Witkoff, Iranian state television reported.
Araghchi, Witkoff both traveled ahead of talks
Both men have been traveling in recent days. Witkoff had been in Paris for talks about Ukraine as Russia's full-scale war there grinds on. Araghchi will be coming from Tehran, Iran, after a visit to Moscow, where he met with officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia, a member of the world powers involved in Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal, could be a key participant in any future deal reached between Tehran and Washington. Analysts suggest Moscow could potentially take custody of Iran's uranium enriched to 60% purity — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who mediated the first round, has already arrived in Rome and met with his Italian counterpart on Friday. Baghaei said al-Busaidi again mediated between the countries.
Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has long served as an interlocutor between Iran and the West. Muscat hosted the first round of negotiations between Araghchi and Witkoff last weekend, which saw the two men meet face to face after indirect talks.
Iran seeks a deal to steady troubled economy
Iran's internal politics are still inflamed over the mandatory headscarf, with women still ignoring the law on the streets of Tehran. Rumors also persist over the government potentially increasing the cost of subsidized gasoline in the country, which has sparked nationwide protests in the past
Iran's rial currency plunged to over 1 million to a US dollar earlier this month. The currency has improved with the talks, however, something Tehran hopes will continue.
Meanwhile, two used Airbus A330-200 long sought by Iran's flag carrier, Iran Air, arrived at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport on Thursday, flight-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed. The planes, formerly of China's Hainan Airlines, had been in Muscat and re-registered to Iran.
The aircraft had Rolls-Royce engines, which included significant American parts and servicing. Such a transaction would need approval from the US Treasury given sanctions on Iran. The State Department and Treasury did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Under the 2015 deal, Iran could purchase new aircraft and had lined up tens of billions of dollars in deals with Airbus and Boeing Co. However, the manufacturers backed away from the deals over Trump's threats to the nuclear accord.

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World

Putin Has Been Briefed on US Proposals for Ukraine Peace Plan, the Kremlin Says

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia December 23, 2025. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia December 23, 2025. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters)
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Putin Has Been Briefed on US Proposals for Ukraine Peace Plan, the Kremlin Says

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia December 23, 2025. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia December 23, 2025. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed about contacts with President Donald Trump's envoys on US proposals for a possible Ukrainian peace deal and Moscow will now formulate its position, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, has repeatedly complained that ending the Ukraine war - the deadliest in Europe since World War Two - has been the most elusive foreign policy ‌aim of his ‌presidency.

Ukraine and its European allies are worried ‌that ⁠Trump could ​sell ‌out Ukraine and leave European powers to foot the bill for supporting a devastated Ukraine after Russian forces took 12-17 square km (4.6-6.6 square miles) of Ukraine per day in 2025.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that envoy Kirill Dmitriev had briefed Putin on the trip to Miami for contacts with Trump's envoys.

But Peskov refused to be drawn on Russia's reaction to the proposals, or the ⁠exact format of the documents, saying that the Kremlin was not going to communicate via ‌the media.

"All the main parameters of the ‍Russian side's position are well known ‍to our colleagues from the United States," Peskov told reporters.

"Now we ‍mean to formulate our position on the basis of the information that was received by the head of state and continue our contacts in the very near future through the existing channels that are currently working."

Putin has said in recent ​weeks that his conditions for peace are that Ukraine should cede the around 5,000 square km of Donbas that it still ⁠controls and that Kyiv should officially renounce its intention to join the NATO military alliance.

Asked about the format of the documents brought back to Moscow by Dmitriev from Miami, Peskov said it was not appropriate to speak to the media about it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in remarks to reporters released by his office on Wednesday, said Ukrainian and US delegations had inched closer to finalizing a 20-point plan at the talks over the weekend in Miami.

But Zelenskyy said Ukraine and the United States had not found common ground on demands that Ukraine cede the parts of Donbas that ‌it still controls - or on the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which is controlled by Russian forces.

World

6.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan

19 May 2024, Taiwan, Taipei: Taiwanese flags fly on a main road. (dpa)
19 May 2024, Taiwan, Taipei: Taiwanese flags fly on a main road. (dpa)
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6.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan

19 May 2024, Taiwan, Taipei: Taiwanese flags fly on a main road. (dpa)
19 May 2024, Taiwan, Taipei: Taiwanese flags fly on a main road. (dpa)

A shallow 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Taiwan on Wednesday evening, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake struck at 5:47 pm (0947 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) in Taitung county, USGS said.

Earlier, Taiwan's Central Weather Administration estimated its magnitude at 6.1.

According to the National Fire Agency, so far no damage to the island's transport networks has been reported.

The quake was felt farther north in capital Taipei, where some buildings shook.

Local television channels showed footage of products falling from supermarket shelves and shattering in Taitung.

Taiwan is frequently hit by earthquakes due to its location on the edge of two tectonic plates near the Pacific Ring of Fire, which the USGS says is the most seismically active zone in the world.

The last major earthquake occurred in April 2024 when the island was hit by a deadly 7.4-magnitude tremor that officials said was the strongest in 25 years.

At least 17 people were killed in that quake, which triggered landslides and severely damaged buildings around Hualien.

It was the most serious in Taiwan since a 7.6-magnitude tremor struck in 1999 -- the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.

World

US and Ukraine Reach Consensus on Key Issues, but Territorial Disputes Remain Unresolved

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses a press conference on the occasion of Diplomatic Service Day in Kyiv, Ukraine, 22 December 2025, amid the Russian invasion. (EPA)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses a press conference on the occasion of Diplomatic Service Day in Kyiv, Ukraine, 22 December 2025, amid the Russian invasion. (EPA)
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US and Ukraine Reach Consensus on Key Issues, but Territorial Disputes Remain Unresolved

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses a press conference on the occasion of Diplomatic Service Day in Kyiv, Ukraine, 22 December 2025, amid the Russian invasion. (EPA)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses a press conference on the occasion of Diplomatic Service Day in Kyiv, Ukraine, 22 December 2025, amid the Russian invasion. (EPA)

The United States and Ukraine have reached a consensus on several critical issues aimed at bringing an end to the nearly four-year conflict, but sensitive issues around territorial control in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland, along with the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, remain unresolved, Ukraine’s president said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke as the US showed the 20-point plan, hammered out after marathon talks in Florida in recent days, to Russian negotiators. A response is expected from Moscow on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president briefed journalists on each point of the plan on Tuesday. His comments were embargoed until Wednesday morning. The draft proposal, which reflects Ukraine’s wishes, intertwines political and commercial interests to safeguard security while boosting economic potential.

At the heart of the negotiations lies the contentious territorial dispute concerning the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, known as the Donbas. This is “the most difficult point,” Zelenskyy said. He said these matters will be discussed at the leaders level.

Russia continues to assert maximalist demands, insisting that Ukraine relinquish the remaining territory in Donesk that it has not captured — an ultimatum that Ukraine has rejected. Russia has captured most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk.

In a bid to facilitate compromise, the United States has proposed transforming these areas into free economic zones. Ukraine insists that any arrangement must be contingent upon a referendum, allowing the Ukrainian people to determine their own fate. Ukraine is demanding the demilitarization of the area and the presence of an international force to ensure stability, Zelenskyy said.

How the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest plant in Europe which is under Russian occupation, will be managed is another contentious issue. The US is proposing a consortium with Ukraine and Russia, with each party having an equal stake in the enterprise.

But Zelenskyy countered with a joint venture proposal between the US and Ukraine, in which the Americans are able to decide how to distribute their share, presuming it would go to Russia.

“We did not reach a consensus with the American side on the territory of the Donetsk region and on the ZNPP,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the power plant in Zaporizhzhia. “But we have significantly brought most of the positions closer together. In principle, all other consensus in this agreement has been found between us and them.”

A free economic zone compromise

Point 14, which covers territories that cut across the eastern front line, and Point 12, which discusses management of the Zaporizhzhia plant, will likely be major sticking points in the talks.

Zelenskyy said: “We are in a situation where the Russians want us to leave the Donetsk region, and the Americans are trying to find a way so that it is ‘not a way out’ — because we are against leaving — they want to find a demilitarized zone or a free economic zone in this, that is, a format that can provide for the views of both sides.”

The draft states that the contact line, which cuts across five Ukrainian regions, be frozen once the agreement is signed.
Ukraine’s stance is that any attempt to create a free economic zone must be ratified by a referendum, affirming that the Ukrainian people ultimately hold the decision-making power, Zelenskyy said. This process will require 60 days, he added, during which time hostilities should stop to allow the process to happen.

More difficult discussions would require hammering out how far troops would be required to move back, per Ukraine’s proposal, and where international forces would be stationed. Zelenskyy said ultimately “people can choose: this ending suits us or not,” he said.

The draft also proposes that Russian forces withdraw from Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv regions, and that international forces be located along the contact line to monitor the implementation of the agreement.

“Since there is no faith in the Russians, and they have repeatedly broken their promises, today’s contact line is turning into a line of a de facto free economic zone, and international forces should be there to guarantee that no one will enter there under any guise — neither ‘little green men’ nor Russian military disguised as civilians,” Zelenskyy said.

Managing Zaporizhzhia power plant 

Ukraine is also proposing that the occupied city of Enerhodar, which is connected to the Zaporizhzhia power plant, be a demilitarized free economic zone, Zelenskyy said. This point required 15 hours of discussions with the US, he said.
For now, the US proposes that the plant be jointly operated by Ukraine, the US and Russia, with each side receiving dividends from the enterprise.

“The USA is offering 33 percent for 33 percent for 33 percent, and the Americans are the main manager of this joint venture,” he said. “It is clear that for Ukraine this sounds very unsuccessful and not entirely realistic. How can you have joint commerce with the Russians after everything?”

Ukraine offered an alternative proposal, that the plant be operated by a joint venture with the US in which the Americans can determine independently how to distribute their 50 percent share.

Zelenskyy said billions in investments are needed to make the plant run again, including restoring the adjacent dam.
“There were about 15 hours of conversations about the plant. These are all very complex things.”

A separate annex for security guarantees

The document ensures that Ukraine will be provided with “strong” security guarantees that mirror NATO’s Article 5, which would obligate Ukraine’s partners to act in the event of renewed Russian aggression.

Zelenskyy said that a separate bilateral document with the US will outline these guarantees. This agreement will detail the conditions under which security will be provided, particularly in the event of a renewed Russian assault, and will establish a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire.

This mechanism will utilize satellite technology and early warning systems to ensure effective oversight and rapid response capabilities.

“The mood of the United States of America is that this is an unprecedented step towards Ukraine on their part. They believe that they are giving strong security guarantees,” he said.

The draft contains other elements including keeping Ukraine’s army at 800,000 during peace time, and by nailing down a specific date for ascension to the European Union.

Elections and boosting the economy 

The document proposes accelerating a free trade agreement between Ukraine and the US once the agreement is signed. The US wants the same deal with Russia, said Zelenskyy.

Ukraine would like to receive short-term privileged access to the European market and a robust global development package, that will cover a wide-range of economic interests, including a development fund to invest in industries including technology, data centers and artificial intelligence, as well as gas.

Also included are funds for the reconstruction of territories destroyed in the war.

“Ukraine will have the opportunity to determine the priorities for distributing its share of funds in the territories under the control of Ukraine. And this is a very important point, on which we spent a lot of time,” Zelenskyy said.

The goal will be to attract $800 billion through equity, grants, loans and private sector contributions.

The draft proposal also requires Ukraine to hold elections after the signing of the agreement. “This is the partners’ vision,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine is also asking that all prisoners since 2014 be released at once, and that civilian detainees, political prisoners and children be returned to Ukraine.