Iranian and American negotiators were poised to meet in Rome as MEES went to press for the fifth round of indirect nuclear negotiations, mediated by Oman. The discussions so far do not appear to have moved the needle closer to an agreement and the two sides remain far apart on the issue of enrichment.
Tehran is hoping that a new agreement, which would replace the 2015 Obama-era JCPOA that President Donald Trump exited in 2018, will lead to the lifting of crippling US sanctions. But despite President Trump’s periodic bullish statements, the signals are not encouraging. Should a deal be reached, it would enable Iran to increase oil production by as much as 400,000 b/d within six months. (CONTINUED - 1689 WORDS)
