The United States and Iran are scheduled to hold a third round of indirect nuclear negotiations in Geneva on Thursday, February 26, with Oman serving as mediator. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. According to US officials, Iran is expected to present a draft proposal by Tuesday as a precondition for the US to confirm the talks.
Both sides have stated they want a diplomatic solution but frame the negotiations differently. Iran insists the talks focus exclusively on its nuclear program and maintains enrichment is its sovereign right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The US wants negotiations to also address Iran's ballistic missile program and support for regional armed groups. Iranian officials say they are open to monitoring of nuclear facilities and express optimism about reaching a deal quickly. US officials have reportedly expressed frustration that Iran is unwilling to discuss topics beyond uranium enrichment.
President Trump stated on February 21 that negotiations should conclude within 10-15 days and publicly confirmed he is "considering" limited strikes on Iran if talks fail. The US has deployed its largest military presence in the Middle East since 2003, including two carrier strike groups. Iranian officials say they view any US attack as aggression requiring self-defense and that the military buildup will not pressure them into concessions. The 10-day timeline would fall before an IAEA board meeting March 2-6 where additional sanctions against Iran are expected to be discussed.