Everyone must support negotiations, Iranian MP says

The Italian government has confirmed that Rome will be the venue for the next round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, scheduled for Saturday.

A source within the Italian government, speaking on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press due to lack of authorization to speak publicly, verified that the meeting would take place in the Italian capital.

Separately, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told journalists in Osaka, Japan, that the Italian government had given its approval to host the discussions, according to a report by Italian state broadcaster Rai.

"We received a request from the interested parties and from Oman, which is playing the role of mediator, and we have given a positive response," Tajani said.

Rome has often hosted these type of talks, Tajani said, and is "prepared to do everything it takes to support all negotiations that can lead to a resolution of the nuclear issue, and to building peace".

US Vice President JD Vance's visit to Italy will coincide with a second round of planned nuclear talks between the US and Iran in Rome on Saturday, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

A former Iranian intelligence minister and currently a presidential aide said Trump prioritizes a legacy of peace over war, suggesting that military conflict between the two nations is unlikely.

"In the previous meeting with some officials, it was said that the smell of war is in the air, but I said there would be no war," Mahmoud Alavi said.

Alavi added, "Trump seeks to stand out on the international political stage, but not as a war hero; rather, his goal is to build an image of himself as a peace hero.”

"Trump is trying to extract many concessions from Iran, but God willing, the negotiations will proceed correctly, and this anxiety will be removed from the people so that the country can achieve calm, and businesses can operate with more motivation and confidence."

Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi will arrive in Tehran on Wednesday, according to Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for international affairs.

Earlier the Wall Street Journal reported that Grossi will visit Tehran this week ahead of the next round of US-Iran talks on Saturday.

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Negotiations in Oman have drawn criticism from Israel and foreign media, said a member of Iran’s parliament, who accused them of seeking the failure of the talks.

“Israel is furious about the Oman talks and doesn’t want them to succeed,” Ahmad Anaraki told semi-official ISNA news outlet on Monday.

He said Israel and sanctions profiteers fear losing influence if diplomacy yields results, adding, “They want to prolong chaos and the current situation.”