Senior officials from the United States and Iran are holding a third round of indirect negotiations in Geneva, in talks widely viewed as critical to preventing a new military confrontation. The discussions come as President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could launch strikes against Iran if a new nuclear agreement is not secured.
The meetings are taking place against the backdrop of the largest American military deployment in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Iran, for its part, has vowed to retaliate forcefully in the event of any attack.
The negotiations are being facilitated once again by Oman’s foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, who said both sides had shown unusual openness to exploring innovative solutions. Despite this, prospects for a breakthrough remain uncertain.
Although Trump has repeatedly stated that he prefers diplomacy, he has also indicated that he is weighing the option of limited military action to pressure Tehran. However, he has not clearly detailed the specific concessions Washington is seeking, nor fully explained why force might be necessary now—eight months after US strikes targeted Iranian nuclear facilities during last year’s Israel-Iran conflict.
Tehran has rejected Washington’s demand to halt uranium enrichment on its territory, but officials have signaled readiness to consider certain adjustments to their nuclear programme.
As in earlier rounds this month, Iran’s delegation is led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The US team includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner.
In recent weeks, the US has deployed thousands of additional troops and major naval assets to the region, including two aircraft carriers and supporting warships, alongside fighter jets and refuelling aircraft.
Tensions have escalated since Trump first threatened military action during Iran’s crackdown on anti-government protests. Attention has since shifted primarily to Tehran’s nuclear activities, a longstanding source of friction between Iran and Western powers.
For decades, Washington and Israel have accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities. Iran denies the charge, maintaining that its programme is peaceful. Nevertheless, it remains the only non-nuclear-armed state to have enriched uranium to levels close to weapons grade.
The current talks are being held at the residence of the Omani ambassador in Geneva. In a recent address to Congress, Trump referred briefly to Iran, claiming it was developing missiles that could soon reach the United States and warning that he would not allow what he called the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism to obtain nuclear weapons.
Last June, US forces struck three Iranian nuclear sites in coordination with Israel. At the time, Trump said the facilities had been destroyed. Iran says enrichment activities were halted after the attacks but has not granted inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency access to the damaged locations.
Trump has insisted that Iran must explicitly declare it will never pursue nuclear weapons. Hours before his congressional speech, Araghchi stated publicly that Iran would under no circumstances develop such weapons and described the current negotiations as a historic opportunity for a mutually beneficial agreement.
Iran’s proposals have not been disclosed. However, discussions are believed to include the possibility of a regional consortium for uranium enrichment and options regarding Iran’s stockpile of roughly 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
In exchange, Tehran is seeking relief from economic sanctions that have severely strained its economy. Critics argue that lifting sanctions could strengthen the ruling establishment.
Key obstacles remain. Iran has ruled out talks on restricting its ballistic missile programme or ending support for allied armed groups across the region, an alliance it refers to as the “Axis of Resistance,” which includes Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.
US media reports suggest that Trump is considering an initial strike targeting Iran’s Revolutionary Guards or nuclear infrastructure to increase pressure. If diplomacy collapses, some reports speculate he could authorize a broader campaign aimed at destabilizing the leadership of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, is reported to have cautioned that military action could carry significant risks, potentially drawing the US into a prolonged conflict. Trump, however, has said he believes any confrontation would be swiftly resolved.
Iran has warned it would respond by targeting US military assets in the Middle East as well as Israel.
Regional allies of Washington have expressed concern that strikes could trigger a broader war, arguing that air power alone is unlikely to bring about political change in Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also cautioned against any agreement that excludes limits on Iran’s missile programme and its regional proxies. Netanyahu has consistently described Iran as a central threat to Israel’s security.
The US maintains the world’s second-largest nuclear arsenal. Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, although it neither confirms nor denies this.
Ahead of Trump’s address to Congress, Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed senior congressional leaders in a classified session. Afterward, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the situation was serious and called on the administration to clearly present its case to the American public.
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