Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his security cabinet Tuesday evening to discuss Iran’s nuclear program and ongoing US-Iran negotiations, the Times of Israel reported, citing ministerial sources.
Negotiations between Iran and the United States over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program will move to the expert level on Wednesday, a development analysts suggest indicates the talks are progressing swiftly, according to an Associated Press opinion.
However, experts not directly involved in the discussions cautioned the AP that this step does not necessarily mean a deal is on the horizon. Instead, it shows that the initial high-level discussions between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff have not collapsed over the core issue: Tehran limiting its atomic program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
Kelsey Davenport, the director for nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, told the AP that "agreeing to technical talks suggests both sides are expressing pragmatic, realistic objectives for the negotiations and want to explore the details." She added that Iran would likely not engage at the technical level if Washington presented maximalist demands like the dismantling of its enrichment program.
Richard Nephew, an adjunct fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, who previously worked on Iran sanctions at the US State Department, told the AP that the value of expert talks hinges on an existing commitment to do something, with experts tasked with determining the specifics. Without such political agreement, he warned, the expert discussions could be unproductive.
The AP opinion also talked about the crucial role of technical experts in the 2015 nuclear deal, citing the understanding reached between then-US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Ali Akbar Salehi of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
“Russia’s role as a permanent Security Council member is important, and the nuclear cooperation between Iran and Russia naturally gives it a key part to play,” government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Monday, according to Iranian media.
The remarks come as speculation grows over Russia’s potential role in Iran-US talks.
According to a Guardian report published Sunday, Russia could play a central role in any future nuclear deal, with Moscow being considered not only as a potential destination for Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, but also as a possible arbiter in the event of breaches to the agreement.
The report said that one option under discussion would allow Russia to "return the handed-over stockpile of highly enriched uranium to Tehran" if the US were to violate the deal, ensuring Iran is not penalized for American non-compliance.
Mohajerani said Iran is “hopeful the good management we’re seeing from that side [the US] will help move things in a positive direction,” but emphasized that Tehran will not accept prolonged negotiations.
“We do not welcome exhausting, lengthy negotiations. A good agreement that protects our national interests is possible in the short term," she added.
Reiterating the importance of sanctions relief, she said, “Lifting sanctions should have a real impact on people’s lives".
Only Sunday, she told the state news agency, “In the continuation of the negotiation path, we will welcome any practical initiative aimed at lifting sanctions".
Not only is Iran under sanctions for its nuclear program, but since the 2022 uprising, has been sanctioned for human rights abuses in addition to sanctions for its support of Russia's war on Ukraine.
Saudi visit 'beyond ordinary,' signals deeper ties
Highlighting the country's strengthening ties with its Arab neighbors, Mohajerani described the recent visit of Saudi Arabia’s defense minister to Tehran as a significant and strategic development.
“This visit went beyond a routine trip,” she said. “It carried a message from the Saudi King and included important talks. It reflects Saudi Arabia’s resolve to deepen cooperation with Iran.”
The two nations had cut diplomatic ties between 2016 and 2023 after an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran, but today, Iran views Saudi Arabia as a critical regional partner, she said.
Strengthening ties with neighbors—especially Muslim countries—is a priority under the Pezeshkian administration's foreign policy.
It has also seen growing ties with the United Arab Emirates, which also cut diplomatic relations in the wake of the Saudi embassy incident, until reinstating them in 2022.
