Iran FM heads to meeting with Italian counterpart – State TV

A member of Iran’s Expediency Council said US President Donald Trump’s approach to nuclear talks reflects a deeper concern for Israel’s security rather than that of the United States.

“The real worry for Trump is not a threat to Washington, but a threat to Tel Aviv,” said Mohammad Sadr in an interview published Saturday on IRNA.

Sadr argued that Trump’s negotiating behavior is shaped more by personal and psychological factors than traditional diplomacy. “This is not classical diplomacy — it’s Trump-style diplomacy that centers around ego and image,” he said.

He added that if Trump limits his demands to banning nuclear weapons, a deal may be possible, but bringing Israeli priorities like zero enrichment or curbing Iran’s regional presence to the table would block any agreement.

Ali Shamkhani, political advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said Tehran’s delegation arrived in Rome with full authority to pursue a comprehensive agreement based on nine principles, including seriousness, guarantees, balance, sanctions relief, and a rejection of the Libya model.

In a post on X, Shamkhani added that Iran is seeking a “balanced deal, not surrender,” and also listed urgency, avoiding threats, curbing disruptive actors such as Israel, and enabling investment as key goals.

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Iran’s delegation is using Saturday’s nuclear talks in Rome to assess whether the United States is genuinely committed to diplomacy, amid what it sees as mixed signals from Washington, the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported.

Tasnim said some of the demands voiced by US officials were “unrealistic and unachievable,” and warned that raising previously rejected proposals amounts to “repeating failed approaches.”

Recent comments from US officials have alternated between calls to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program entirely and proposals to limit enrichment levels, adding uncertainty about Washington’s current position in the talks.

Iran’s ultra-hardline Kayhan newspaper on Saturday said Tehran should consider withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the United States crosses Iran’s red lines in ongoing nuclear talks.

“The current nuclear standoff has clearly endangered our vital interests,” wrote Hossein Shariatmadari, Kayhan’s editor and a representative of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. “If that is the case—and it is—why don’t we invoke Article 10 of the NPT and exit?”

The paper said the outcome of Saturday’s negotiations in Rome will be a key test of Washington’s intentions and added that past US statements show the nuclear issue is “only a pretext” to pressure Iran.

Kayhan argued that withdrawal would be legal under the treaty and could remove what it described as an imposed challenge on Iran’s nuclear program.

The NPT allows countries to use nuclear technology for civilian purposes—such as medicine, agriculture, and energy—but prohibits the development or acquisition of nuclear weapons.

The second round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran is scheduled to begin at 5am ET (11:00am local time) on Saturday at the Omani embassy in Rome, Axios reported.

The session is expected to last at least five hours.

According to Axios, the United States aims to use this round to establish a framework for the next phase of negotiations.