"Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the third round of talks with the US were ‘one of the most serious and prolonged’ sessions held so far, claiming ‘significant progress on 'some issues'. The talks, which focused on Tehran's nuclear ambitions and US sanctions, spanned nearly four hours in the morning and around two hours in the evening, facilitated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi assisting on technical issues. “Over these long and very intensive hours, we made good progress and seriously examined the key elements of a potential agreement, both in the nuclear field and regarding sanctions,” Araghchi said. He said that the two sides could hold another round of talks ‘very soon, perhaps within the next week or so'. Outlining the next steps, he said that expert-level discussions will begin from Monday in Vienna, with assistance from IAEA experts, to chalk out a framework and format of an agreement that also aligns with Iran's ‘political demands’. Araghchi said that Iran had laid out ‘clearly’ its expectations regarding sanctions imposed by the US on Tehran. “What needs to happen have been clearly stated on our part. It has been agreed that in the next session, we will delve into this discussion in more detail,” he added. Al-Busaidi took to X and said that ‘significant progress’ had been made during the negotiations and that the next round could resume ‘soon after consultation in the respective capitals’. The discussions are taking place against a tense backdrop, with Washington increasing its military footprint near Iran’s borders and threatening military action if the talks fail to produce an agreement."