MUSCAT, Oman —Iran and the United States held their first technical-level talks on Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program Saturday, a more complex phase of their high-stakes negotiations.

The U.S. and Iran concluded on Saturday the third round of nuclear talks and agreed to meet again on May 3, said Omani foreign minister Badr Al-Busaidi, who is mediating between the parties. Why it matters: The talks in Muscat on Saturday were the first time the parties dived into the technical details of a possible nuclear deal,

The third round of talks in three weeks have raised hopes for an Iran nuclear accord, which could avert a new Mideast conflict. President Trump said he believed a deal was within reach.