Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Geneva on Monday for a second round of nuclear talks with the United States, Iranian state media reported, as tensions persist amid a US military buildup in the region. According to Tehran, the negotiations will be indirect and mediated by Oman. Washington has indicated it wants broader issues addressed, including Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its support for regional allies.
“The foreign minister has arrived in Geneva at the head of a diplomatic and expert delegation to take part in the second round of nuclear negotiation,” state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting said. Araghchi is also expected to meet his Swiss and Omani counterparts and hold discussions with Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. He confirmed he would meet the UN nuclear watchdog chief ahead of the talks. The renewed negotiations come after earlier efforts collapsed following Israeli airstrikes on Iran last June. Uncertainty remains over Iran’s stockpile of more than 400 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, last verified by international inspectors in June.
The White House confirmed that US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will represent Washington in Geneva. Senior US officials have expressed caution about the prospects for a breakthrough, even as the US military presence in the region has expanded, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford. Iran and the United States resumed talks earlier this month in an effort to address their long-running dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme and avoid further escalation. However, significant differences remain. Tehran continues to reject a zero-enrichment demand or the transfer of enriched uranium outside its territory, while Washington maintains that sustained pressure could yield concessions. Despite the wide gaps, both sides appear to be testing diplomacy amid concerns that further escalation could prove difficult to contain.
