While authorities in Tehran and Washington had reported the US-Iran negotiations in Muscat and Rome as positive and constructive, the fourth round of these talks, which was scheduled to be held in Rome, has been met with suspension and postponement. Omani officials have cited "logistical" issues, namely problems related to executive and logistical matters, as the reason for this pause. However, such a delay was anticipated, and its cause lies not in the logistical difficulties announced by Omani officials but rather in the fundamental lack of flexibility and displays of rigidity that the parties were expected to address through bargaining over demands and negotiating points to secure concessions at the negotiating table. In other words, it was foreseeable that as the negotiations progressed, they would face challenges due to the nature of the demands and issues or the substantive disagreements....