Overview

• President Trump described the Rome talks as “very, very good” and said he expects “good news” on a deal within days of the fifth round’s May 23 conclusion.
• Tehran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei declared that Iran “will never accept” suspending its uranium enrichment and said no date has been set for a sixth round of talks.
• US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff reaffirmed that Washington “could not authorise even one percent” of enrichment as a precondition for lifting sanctions.
• Iran maintains its nuclear program is exclusively for civilian purposes and signals willingness to limit non-military aspects but refuses any enrichment pause.
• Diplomats aim to finalise a new agreement in time for the June IAEA review and before the 2015 accord’s October expiry, though the schedule for the next talks remains unsettled.