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The United States and Iran are holding indirect negotiations in Switzerland aimed at resolving their long-running nuclear dispute, as military tensions rise and the prospect of broader conflict looms over the talks.
The discussions are being mediated by Oman and bring together U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, according to a source briefed on the matter.
President Donald Trump said he would be involved “indirectly” in the negotiations and expressed confidence that Tehran is seeking an agreement.
“I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal,” Mr. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. “We could have had a deal instead of sending the B-2s in to knock out their nuclear potential. And we had to send the B-2s.”
The talks follow a failed effort last June to revive diplomacy, when Israel launched strikes against Iranian targets and was later joined by U.S. B-2 bombers. Tehran has since announced that it has halted uranium enrichment activity.
Two U.S. officials said that the American military is preparing contingency plans that could involve weeks of operations if ordered by the president.
Meanwhile, Iran began military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping corridor for global oil exports. Gulf Arab states have urged diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
Washington and Tehran resumed dialogue on February 6 in an attempt to address their decades-old standoff.
The United States and Israel contend that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons capability that could threaten Israel’s security. Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes, although it has enriched uranium to levels far above those typically required for civilian energy production.
Iran’s leadership faces additional internal strain following mass protests driven in part by economic hardship and international sanctions that have severely restricted oil revenues.
Unlike previous diplomatic efforts, the United States has deployed what Mr. Trump described as a significant naval presence in the region.
Washington is reportedly seeking to broaden the scope of negotiations to include Iran’s missile program and other non-nuclear issues. Iranian officials have stated that they are willing to discuss limits on nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief but will not abandon uranium enrichment entirely or include missile capabilities in the talks.
On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the difficulty of reaching an agreement.
He said it was hard to secure a deal with Iran but that the United States remains open to pursuing one.
Ahead of the Geneva meeting, Araqchi met with International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi to discuss cooperation and technical matters related to the negotiations.
Separately, U.S. envoys are also expected to take part in discussions involving Russia and Ukraine later in the day, as Washington continues efforts to address multiple international crises simultaneously.
The outcome of the Geneva talks remains uncertain, but they unfold against a backdrop of heightened military activity and mounting geopolitical risk.
SOURCE: Reuters