Iran and the United States began a fifth round of high-stakes nuclear talks in Rome on Friday amid growing skepticism in Tehran about the chances of a deal as Washington hardens its position.

ROME (AP) — Iran and the United States prepared for a fifth round of negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program Friday in Rome, with enrichment emerging as the key issue.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran will not back down on its “nuclear rights”, hours before talks with the US on the subject were to resume in Oman. He told an Arab-Iranian conference in Doha on Saturday night that “if the goal of these talks is to ensure the non-acquisition of nuclear weapons,