US and Iran hold another round of nuclear talks in Geneva
- Last updated: February 26, 2026 | 21:04 ..
Iran and the United States were holding another round of indirect talks in Geneva on Thursday to try to reach a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme and potentially avert another war as the US.gathers a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump wants a deal to constrain Iran’s nuclear program, and he sees an opportunity while the country is struggling at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests. Iran also hopes to avert war, but maintains it has the right to enrich uranium and does not want to discuss other issues, like its long-range missile program or support for armed groups like Hamas and Hizbollah.
If America attacks, Iran has said US military bases in the region would be considered legitimate targets, putting at risk tens of thousands of American service members. Iran has also threatened to attack Israel, meaning a regional war again could erupt across the Middle East.
"There would be no victory for anybody - it would be a devastating war,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told India Today in an interview filmed Wednesday just before he flew to Geneva.
"Since the Americans' bases are scattered through different places in the region, then unfortunately perhaps the whole region would be engaged and be involved, so it is a very terrible scenario.”
Ali Vaez, an Iran expert with the International Crisis Group, said it was a good sign that the Americans did not walk away immediately when Iran presented its latest proposal on Thursday.
"There might still not be a breakthrough at the end of this day, but the very fact that the U.S. team is returning shows that there is enough common ground between the two sides," he said.
The two sides held multiple rounds of talks last year that collapsed when Israel launched a 12-day war against Iran in June and the US carried out heavy strikes on its nuclear sites, leaving much of Iran's nuclear programme in ruins even as the full extent of the damage remains unclear.
Araghchi is representing Iran at the talks. Steve Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and friend of Trump who serves as a special Mideast envoy, is heading up the US delegation with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. The talks are again being mediated by Oman, an Arab Gulf country that's long served as an interlocutor between Iran and the West.
The two sides adjourned after around three hours of talks and planned to resume the discussions later on Thursday. A convoy believed to be carrying Iranian diplomats could be seen returning to the compound hours later.
"We’ve been exchanging creative and positive ideas in Geneva today,” said Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi, who mediated. "We hope to make more progress.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said diplomats held "very intensive” negotiations, meeting with the Omani envoy and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. The talks will reconvene later on Thursday, after the sides consult their governments, Baghaei said.
He said the Iranians felt there were "constructive proposals” offered on both nuclear issues and sanctions relief.
Trump wants Iran to completely halt its enrichment of uranium and roll back both its long-range missile programme and its support for regional armed groups. Iran says it will only discuss nuclear issues, and maintains its atomic program is for entirely peaceful purposes.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that Iran is "always trying to rebuild elements” of its nuclear program. He said that Tehran is not enriching uranium right now, "but they’re trying to get to the point where they ultimately can.”
IAssoc
Associated Press