Iran FM to head to Moscow to discuss nuclear talks
TEHRAN
Iran's Foreign Minister is to visit ally Russia this week to discuss nuclear negotiations with the United States, ahead of a new round of talks between the foes planned for Rome.
On April 13, Abbas Araghchi held talks with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in Oman, the highest-level negotiations since the collapse of a 2015 nuclear accord.
In March, Donald Trump sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for nuclear talks while warning of possible military action if Tehran refused.
"Dr Araghchi will travel to Moscow at the end of the week," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.
Another round of talks between Iran and the United States is scheduled for April 19.
Iran has yet to confirm the location, but Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Rome had given a "positive response" to a request to host the talks, adding "we are willing to do whatever it takes."
The official IRNA news agency reported that they would be held in Europe, without elaborating.
Baqaei said the next set of talks would continue to be indirect with Omani mediation, adding that direct talks were "not effective" and "not useful".
Baqaei reiterated that Iran would host United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi in the coming days but noted that the details of his trip were still "to be decided on."
In a post on X, Grossi confirmed that he would be heading to Tehran "later this week."
IRNA later reported that Grossi would arrive on Wednesday and meet Araghchi and Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran's nuclear energy agency.
