The fourth round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States concluded on Sunday, May 11, 2025, in Muscat, Oman. Led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, the talks lasted around three hours and were mediated by Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi. After the talks, Albusaidi stated “The discussions included useful and original ideas reflecting a shared wish to reach an honorable agreement. The 5th round of talks will take place once both parties have consult their leaderships.”
A senior U.S. official told Axios that the administration was “encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future.” The official also noted that the negotiations were a mix of direct and indirect discussions, similar to previous rounds.
President Trump, speaking Monday, spoke positively about the negotiations. He stated “they are talking intelligently, we are in the mix of talking to them…we want Iran to be wealthy and wonderful and happy and great, but they can’t have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple. I think they understand that I mean business, and I think they’re being very reasonable thus far.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi stated that this round of talks was “more serious and direct” than the previous three, adding, “We now have a better understanding of each other and hope to make further progress.” He reiterated that uranium enrichment remains a red line for Iran and is not open to negotiation, although the level and scope may be adjusted.
The lead-up to the talks was marked by tough rhetoric from Washington. Witkoff, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump all had recently stated in various ways that Iran must completely halt uranium enrichment, with Rubio falsely claiming that only countries seeking nuclear weapons engage in enrichment. These remarks were seen in Tehran as provocation and a nonstarter for any constructive dialogue. At the same time, U.S. officials have repeatedly warned that failure to reach an agreement could leave military action as the only remaining option.
However, many experts have cast serious doubt on the viability of a military solution. Iran’s current facilities are dispersed, deeply fortified, and resilient to airstrikes. The recent U.S. experience in Yemen has shown the limits of bombing campaigns, especially against entrenched or mobile targets. There is also a growing consensus that Israel alone lacks the operational capability to destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, and even for the United States, such an operation would likely require a full-scale occupation to ensure that Iran doesn’t pivot from attack toward a full-bore, covert drive for weaponization.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Araghchi warned that any misuse of the snapback mechanism—the clause in the JCPOA allowing for automatic reimposition of sanctions—would not only end Europe’s role in the deal but could also trigger irreversible escalation. He urged European powers to abandon confrontational strategies, warning that they risk sparking a broader nuclear crisis, with Europe among the most affected. Additionally, in an op-ed published by the French weekly Le Point, Araghchi criticized France, Germany, and the U.K. for adopting a confrontational approach, using human rights and Iran’s relations with Russia as excuses to distance themselves diplomatically. He called on them to reassess their role in creating the current impasse.
In response to Rubio’s earlier remarks, Iranian officials reaffirmed that uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes is permitted under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Iran maintains that its program is entirely lawful, transparent, and not aimed at building nuclear weapons. However, there is significant evidence that Iran shelved an active weapons program in the lead up to 2003, and Iran is currently enriching uranium at a level that is just beneath weapons grade and arguably has little civilian justification.
President Masoud Pezeshkian also firmly rejected the idea of dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, stating that such demands are “unacceptable.” He added that Iran will never give up its peaceful nuclear rights and emphasized that the country has never sought nuclear weapons, and remains committed to meaningful diplomacy. The Iranian Foreign Ministry echoed this stance, expressing continued dedication to the NPT framework and to lifting what it called “illegal and inhumane sanctions” on the Iranian people.
Notably, President Trump travels to the Middle East this week and is scheduled to arrive in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. While his visit will not include a trip to Israel, despite an invitation, the President will travel to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates before he returns. There is some speculation that President Trump could announce a new framework for civilian nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia, which may partly explain some of the administration’s recent rhetoric surrounding enrichment. Likewise, prior reporting indicated that the President could announce that the U.S. government will relabel the Persian Gulf the “Arabian Gulf,” which drew harsh criticism from Iran and the Iranian diaspora. While there was some speculation that an Iranian official could meet President Trump during his visit, the talks do not seem poised for a breakthrough and recent rhetoric could have diminished such chances, if indeed they were considered.
As the fourth round concludes, attention now turns to the fifth round of talks, which is to be set at a future date. While no breakthrough has yet occurred, the exchange of technical ideas, the measured tone, and the mutual agreement to continue discussions suggest that diplomacy remains alive—though the path forward is both narrow and fragile.