UN nuclear watchdog says US-Iran talks at a 'very crucial' stage

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program are “in a very crucial” stage, the head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog said Thursday while on a visit to the Islamic Republic.

The comments by Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Tehran included an acknowledgment his agency likely would be key in verifying compliance by Iran should a deal be reached. Iran and the U.S. will meet again Saturday in Rome for a new round of talks after last weekend's first meeting in Oman.

Grossi's visit also coincided with Saudi Arabia's defense minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, visiting Tehran as the highest-ranking official from the kingdom to visit Iran since the two countries reached a Chinese-mediated détente in 2023. That's as Saudi Arabia tries to end its decadelong war against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen — even as a new, intense campaign of U.S. airstrikes targets them.

The stakes of the negotiations Saturday and the wider geopolitical tensions in the Mideast couldn't be higher, particularly as the Israel-Hamas war rages on in the Gaza Strip. U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly has threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

“I’m not in a rush to do it because I think that Iran has a chance to have a great country and to live happily without death — and I'd like to see that, that's my first option,” Trump said when asked about a possible attack while meeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office.

Grossi arrived in Iran on Wednesday night and met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who now is in Moscow for separate talks likely over the negotiations. On Thursday, Grossi met with Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, then later toured a hall featuring some of Iran's civilian nuclear projects.

“We know that we are in a very crucial, I would say, stage of this important negotiation, so I want to concentrate on the positive,” Grossi told Iranian media. “There is a possibility of a good outcome. Nothing is guaranteed. We need to make sure that we put all of the elements in place ... in order to get to this agreement."

He added: “We know we don't have much time. So this is why I'm here. This is why I'm in contact with the United States as well.”

Asked about Trump's threats to attack Iran, Grossi urged people to “concentrate on our objective.”

“Once we get to our objective, all of these things will evaporate because there will be no reason for concern,” he said.

For his part, Eslami said Iran expected the IAEA to “maintain impartiality and act professionally,” a report from the state-run IRNA news agency said.

Since the nuclear deal’s collapse in 2018 with Trump’s unilateral withdrawal of the U.S. from the accord, Iran has abandoned all limits on its program, and enriches uranium to up to 60% purity — near weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Surveillance cameras installed by the IAEA have been disrupted, while Iran has barred some of the Vienna-based agency’s most experienced inspectors. Iranian officials also have increasingly threatened that they could pursue atomic weapons, something the West and the IAEA have been worried about for years since Tehran abandoned an organized weapons program in 2003.

Despite tensions between Iran and the agency, its access has not been entirely revoked. But Grossi acknowledged in a French newspaper interview that “Iran has enough material to build not one but several bombs.”

“It’s like a jigsaw puzzle; they’ve got the pieces and one day they might be able to put them together,” he told Le Monde. “There’s still a long way to go before that happens. But they’re not far off, admittedly.”

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric called the upcoming Iran-U.S. talks this weekend “a good sign.”

“We very much hope that the dialogue between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran yields a positive outcome which will see the lowering of tensions in the Gulf region, in the Middle East and between the two countries," he said.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, the son of King Salman and the brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, arrived in Tehran on Thursday. Iran’s joint chief of staff, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, greeted the prince on his arrival and an honor guard played for the two men.

Prince Khalid, a fighter pilot, has become the first Saudi defense minister to visit Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He's also the highest-ranking Saudi royal to visit in decades. The last was King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who did so as crown prince in 1997 for an Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting held in Tehran.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency, announcing the prince's arrival, said his trip would include “a number of meetings to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries and issues of common interest,” without elaborating.

The visit is significant, particularly given the decades of enmity between the two countries. Saudi Arabia has been for years trying to get a peace deal agreed to with the Houthis. A de facto ceasefire broadly has halted hostilities in the war, though the Houthis increasingly have threatened both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates amid the U.S. airstrikes.

Prince Khalid met Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as President Masoud Pezeshkian on his trip.

“It is much better for brothers in the region to cooperate and support each other than to rely on outsiders,” Khamenei said, according to state media.

Vahdat reported from Tehran, Iran. Associated Press writers Stephanie Liechtenstein in Vienna and Edith Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

In this photo released by the Iranian Presidency Office, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, left, speaks with President Masoud Pezeshkian during their meeting, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)

In this photo released by the Iranian Presidency Office, President Masoud Pezeshkian, right, meets with Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)

In this photo released by the Iranian Presidency Office, President Masoud Pezeshkian, right, speaks with Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman during their meeting, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)

In this photo released by the Iranian Presidency Office, President Masoud Pezeshkian, right, shakes hands with Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman at the start of their meeting, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)

In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, listens to Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, center, as Chief of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri attends their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, listens to Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, left, presents the message of the Saudi Arabia's king to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

This image released by the public relations of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, second left, reviews an honor guard as he is accompanied by Chief of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, left, during a welcoming ceremony in Tehran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. ( Public relations of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces via AP)

This image released by the public relations of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, left, and Chief of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri listen to their countries national anthem during a welcoming ceremony for Prince Khalid bin Salman, in Tehran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Public relation of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces via AP)

This image released by the public relation of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, right, is welcomed by Chief of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri during a welcoming ceremony in Tehran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Public relation of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces via AP)

In this photo released by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, center, listens to head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami as he visits an exhibition of Iran's nuclear achievements, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP)

In this photo released by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, center, visits an exhibition of Iran's nuclear achievements, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP)

In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, right, listens to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)

In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, right, shakes hands with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi prior to their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)

In this photo, released by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, front center, arrives at Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran via AP)

In this photo released by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, left, shakes hands with head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami, at the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran via AP)

In this photo released by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, rear center, and his delegation attend a meeting with head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami, foreground right, and his delegation in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran via AP)

In this photo, released by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, center, attends a meeting with head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran via AP)

In this photo released by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi attends a meeting with the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran via AP)

President Donald Trump was heading to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the first leg of his three-nation visit to the Middle East this week meant to tackle multiple crises and conflicts across the region.

His first stop is a visit to Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two are to hold talks on U.S. efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, end the war in Gaza, hold down oil prices and more.

The crown prince is also expected to fete Trump with a formal dinner and a gathering of members of the Gulf Cooperation Council — made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — later on Tuesday.

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that America and China now have a “mechanism” to avoid tensions.

He spoke at an investment forum just before Trump was to land in Saudi Arabia.

“We had a plan, we had a process. What we did not have with the Chinese was a mechanism,” Bessent told the forum. “After this weekend, we have a mechanism to avoid escalation like we had before.”

Bessent said America could have a “big, beautiful rebalancing” with China as Beijing aims to have more of a consumption-based economy and Trump wants to see more precision manufacturing done in the U.S.

Previous trips by U.S. presidents to the kingdom have drawn comments about Saudi Arabia being “milked” by the Americans for oil and dollars for military sales.

But this time, Iranian newspapers and state television largely are not discussing Trump’s trip in detail.

The quiet may be due to the fact Riyadh and Tehran have been in a Chinese-mediated detente since 2023. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, a brother to the Saudi crown prince, also traveled to Tehran in a high-level visit unthinkable in recent years of tensions between the two Mideast rivals.

Hussein Ibish, an analyst at the Washington-based Arab Gulf States Institute, said Saudi Arabia’s economic development projects at home means the kingdom wants peace across the region.

American and Saudi flags are lining the streets in Saudi Arabia’s capital ahead of Trump's arrival, along with a noticeable security presence in Riyadh of all American-made police cars.

At a “Media Oasis” set up for journalists, giant video screens showed off Saudi construction projects like its futuristic NEOM city and its hosting of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. A mobile McDonald’s sat in the parking lot, still shuttered.

Prince Turki al-Faisal, who led Saudi intelligence for more than two decades and served as ambassador to the U.S. and Britain, wrote in the English-language Arab News newspaper to Trump that “our doors and hearts are open to you.”

Saudi Arabia’s tightly controlled media offered positive comments regarding Trump’s visit. Columnists in the kingdom sought to describe the visit as part of a strategic reset in American-Saudi relations, which date back to when then-President Franklin Roosevelt met King Saud aboard the USS Quincy in 1945.

“Many countries around the world, including in Europe, are following Saudi Arabia’s lead in managing their affairs with Trump,” wrote Abdulrahman al-Rashed in Asharq Al-Awsat. “The era of relying solely on political and military alliances with Washington is over; the focus now is on forging shared interests.”

Faisal J. Abbas of the English-language Arab News wrote that “the significance of the visit cannot be overstated — nor could its timing be more crucia,” given Saudi Arabia’s mediation in the Russia-Ukraine war and the recent conflict between India and Pakistan.

He also acknowledged business deals would be part of the trip as well.

“Putting America first does not mean ignoring opportunities abroad; it means seizing them,” Abbas added.

Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia comes as the president can already point to one thing for American voters — oil prices are down.

It’s not Trump’s doing, though he’s repeatedly criticized Saudi Arabia and the OPEC+ oil cartel over higher oil prices in the past. Those prices translate directly back into gasoline prices in the United States, which can become a major pain point for the U.S. public. The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. is $3.13, according to AAA, down from $3.61 a year ago.

Right now, benchmark Brent crude trades around $64 a barrel. That’s higher than when the around $50 a barrel it traded on his first trip to the kingdom as president in 2017. However, it’s nowhere near the spikes seen after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Then, the average gallon of gas in the U.S. was $5.01 at its height.

Economic uncertainty over Trump’s tariff policy has depressed global energy prices — as has OPEC more rapidly opening up production than initially thought. Saudi Arabia in particular needs that extra revenue as the crow prince's expansive development plans and the kingdom hosting the upcoming 2034 FIFA World Cup will need hundreds of billions of dollars of investments.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry says the sanctions on the country were imposed under the government of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad and helped in removing him from power.

But they are now harming the Syrian people, the ministry says, describing Trump’s comments about removing them as “an encouraging step” to end the suffering of Syrians.

The ministry said in a statement late Monday that the sanctions are hindering reconstruction in the war torn country.

The Syrian people are looking for the “full lifting of the sanctions” as a step that boosts peace and prosperity both in Syria and the region, and open the way for international cooperation, it said.

Trump had intended to focus on pressing wealthy Gulf Arab nations during the Mideast trip to pour billions in new investment into the United States.

But Trump finds himself navigating a series of geopolitical crises — and searching for glimmers of hope in the deep well of global turmoil.

Those challenges are casting greater import on his first extended overseas trip of his second term, but the president is brimming with an overabundance of confidence about some of the world’s most intractable problems.

▶ Read more about Trump’s three-nation visit

FILE - President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House, Feb. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file)