Iran won’t bow to any power in nuclear talks, official says

The two sides had initially agreed to meet in Rome. However, a disagreement reportedly arose between Iranian officials—who insisted on holding the meeting at the Omani Embassy in Rome—and the Italian government, which maintained that the talks should take place at the Italian Foreign Ministry. This prompted Tehran to make a last-minute announcement on the evening of April 14 that the meeting would instead be held in Oman.

The US side has not publicly commented on the dispute over the location. However, President Donald Trump, who had previously expressed cautious optimism following the first round, criticized the week-long gap between meetings, suggesting that Iran was stalling. “They've got to go fast, because they're fairly close to having one, and they're not going to have one,” he said, referring to Iran’s nuclear capability.

Iranian officials had also requested that Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi attend the Rome meeting, though they did not provide an explanation for the request.

While Iran’s state broadcaster—heavily influenced by the ultraconservative Paydari Party—has been reluctant to cover the first and second meetings with the Americans, the government broke its silence by releasing previously undisclosed information exclusively to the Tehran Times, an English-language daily. Notably, this disclosure bypassed the many Persian-language newspapers published in Tehran.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei also weighed in on the talks during a speech on Tuesday. Echoing Trump’s earlier tone, he expressed cautious optimism and said the Iranian negotiating team had performed well.

In a commentary, Eco Iran, a Telegram channel known for serious coverage of domestic politics and economics, wrote: “Despite their historic hostility, an agreement is still possible between Tehran and Washington.” The channel added that Trump had succeeded in pushing Tehran to move its red lines. “The meeting showed that neither Iran nor the United States wants another war in the region,” it added.

Eco Iran also noted growing anxiety among Iranians at home, with many watching the negotiations closely while fearing that Trump’s patience might wear thin. The channel added that Israel is monitoring the talks with concern—especially as Trump may offer Saudi Arabia access to nuclear technology and uranium enrichment during his upcoming visit to Riyadh.

Meanwhile, the pro-reform Telegram channel Jamaran, which is affiliated with former President Mohammad Khatami, posted that many Iranians—particularly those in the middle class—have long supported meaningful engagement with the United States. “Now that the talks have started, the Iranian people are closely watching the developments and discussing them widely,” the channel wrote.

Jamaran added that the public perception is shifting, with many now believing that the government has finally chosen negotiations as a path to address the country’s mounting challenges. It also emphasized that for more than two decades, polls have consistently shown that Iranians favor diplomacy with the West, while also demanding respect for national dignity and interests.

The centrist Telegram channel Emtedad published a commentary by journalist Davoud Heshmati, who welcomed former US Secretary of State John Kerry’s suggestion that any future agreement with Iran should be ratified by the US Senate. He argued that such a step would help reassure Iranians concerned about the possibility of a future US president walking away from the deal.

The comment reflects lingering distrust in Iran toward Trump, with many fearing that even if a new agreement is reached, it could once again be revoked by him—or a successor.

Tehran’s position in nuclear negotiations remains unchanged, and the United States and Israel must accept Iran’s terms, the security adviser to Iran’s armed forces chief said on Wednesday.

“Our position is firm and will continue to the end,” said Brigadier General Hossein Ashtari, who previously served as Iran’s national police chief. “It is the Americans and the Israelis who must accept our terms. We have already declared our position and remain committed to it.”

He said the government, leadership, and people of Iran are aligned on this approach. “Everyone is coordinated,” he added.

The conservative daily Farhikhtegan warned on Wednesday that Iran could cut off access to its nuclear sites and expel inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if faced with a serious military threat.

The editorial came ahead of IAEA chief Rafael Grossi’s visit to Tehran and amid heightened tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and upcoming talks with the United States.

“If a serious military threat emerges, Iran will expel the inspectors, cut their access, and move nuclear materials to locations beyond reach,” the paper wrote. It described the policy as a defensive security measure in response to threats from Israel and recent remarks by the White House.

Farhikhtegan accused the IAEA of political bias and said Grossi’s previous visits had yielded cooperation only from Iran. “Despite Iran’s compliance, the agency has published reports that fuel anti-Iran resolutions,” it said.

Iran’s ultra-hardline Kayhan newspaper, overseen by a representative of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, accused the United States of crossing Tehran’s red lines following US remarks urging Iran to halt all uranium enrichment.

Editor Hossein Shariatmadari wrote that Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, exposed Washington’s “true intentions” through his tone after the first round of indirect talks in Oman, despite efforts to appear constructive.

The editorial came in response to a post by Witkoff on X, in which he wrote: “Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.” The message was posted just hours after he told Fox News the US might accept limited enrichment under a Trump-led deal.

“Witkoff’s latest comments leave no doubt that America has failed the very first test of ‘verifying its claims,’” Shariatmadari wrote. “Trump and his envoy tried to hide their blackmail-driven demands, but the signs were clear — Trump was thinking out loud.”

He added that US officials were raising topics Iran has repeatedly ruled out and warned that Washington was laying the groundwork for “disarming the Islamic Republic and plowing its land and people.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff are expected in Paris later this week for talks with French officials that will include discussions on Iran, Politico reported on Wednesday.

Witkoff is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, while Rubio will hold talks with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, according to people familiar with preparations for the trip. Iran, Ukraine, and trade are all on the agenda.

The visit follows ongoing US efforts to shape a framework for a potential nuclear agreement with Tehran, as well as parallel diplomatic efforts involving European and regional players. France has been engaged in its own mediation efforts across several files.

The Paris meetings come days after Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss Ukraine. The White House described that meeting as another step in the broader negotiating process.