DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The United States and Iran are set to engage in pivotal discussions this Saturday in Rome, marking the second round of negotiations regarding Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. These dialogues come on the heels of an initial meeting held in Muscat, Oman, where representatives from both nations first met face-to-face.

The backdrop of these talks is fraught with escalating tensions, particularly as former President Donald Trump has enacted a series of stringent sanctions on Iran as part of his aggressive "maximum pressure" campaign. Throughout his presidency, he has consistently suggested that military action against Iran remains a viable option, indicating a complex balance between diplomacy and coercion. Notably, Trump even wrote a letter to Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an 85-year-old cleric, in an attempt to rekindle diplomatic efforts.

In response to any potential military action, Khamenei has made it abundantly clear that Iran would retaliate against any attack, raising the stakes for both parties involved in the impending negotiations.

So, what spurred Trump to write that letter? On March 5, Trump sent a correspondence to Khamenei and subsequently confirmed its existence during a television interview. In his statement, he expressed hope for negotiations, saying, "Ive written them a letter saying, I hope youre going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, its going to be a terrible thing." This strategic communication underscores Trumps dual approach of seeking dialogue while also maintaining an aggressive stance.

Since his return to the White House, President Biden has continued to advocate for negotiations, despite simultaneously intensifying sanctions on Iran. There have also been suggestions that military strikeseither by the U.S. or Israelcould target Irans nuclear facilities, adding another layer of complexity to the diplomatic landscape.

The first round of negotiations, hosted by Oman, featured Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, who met in person after a series of indirect discussions. Following this initial encounter, both sides quickly agreed to reconvene for a second round. Witkoff later appeared on television, hinting that an enrichment level of 3.67% for Iran, a key figure, could be a point of consensus. This figure aligns precisely with the terms established by the 2015 nuclear accord, from which Trump removed the U.S. in a controversial move.

However, Witkoffs remarks also included a caveat: A deal with Iran will only be completed if it is a Trump deal, a statement that has caused confusion among Iranian officials regarding the U.S.'s signaling on the negotiations.

The concern surrounding Irans nuclear program has been a longstanding issue for Western nations. Although Iran has maintained that its nuclear ambitions are peaceful, recent rhetoric from Iranian officials indicates a troubling shift toward the possibility of pursuing nuclear weapons. Currently, Iran enriches uranium to near weapons-grade levels of 60%, a status unique among countries without a nuclear arsenal.

According to the original 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran was permitted to enrich uranium to a maximum purity of 3.67% and was limited to a stockpile of 300 kilograms (661 pounds). However, the most recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed that Iran's stockpile has ballooned to 8,294.4 kilograms (18,286 pounds), with a portion enriched to 60% purity.

While U.S. intelligence agencies maintain that Iran has not officially initiated a weapons program, they acknowledge that the country has engaged in activities that position it to create a nuclear device should it choose to do so. Ali Larijani, an adviser to the supreme leader, stated in a televised interview that while Iran possesses the capability to construct nuclear weapons, it currently has no intention to do so. Larijani emphasized that if provoked by military action from the U.S. or Israel, Iran would have no option but to advance its nuclear weapons development.

"If you make a mistake regarding Irans nuclear issue, you will force Iran to take that path, because it must defend itself," Larijani warned.

The fraught relationship between Iran and the United States has deep historical roots. Once a close ally of the U.S. under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlaviwho relied on American military support and allowed CIA activities against the Soviet Unionrelations soured dramatically following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. This seismic shift led to the establishment of a theocratic government under Ayatollah Khomeini and the notorious takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, which ignited a 444-day hostage crisis and severed diplomatic ties.

Over the years, U.S.-Iran relations have oscillated between hostile confrontations and cautious diplomacy. The signing of the 2015 nuclear agreement marked a high point in these relations, but Trumps withdrawal from the accord subsequently reignited tensions in the region that are still felt today.

As the world watches the developments in Rome, the outcomes of these negotiations could have significant implications, not only for Iran and the U.S. but for global security and diplomatic relations in the broader Middle East.

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Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

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The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Lars Andersen