Iran and the United States held a third round of indirect nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday, mediated by Oman, in what is widely viewed as a last-chance diplomatic effort to avert another military confrontation in the Middle East. US special Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner represented the American side, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led the Iranian delegation. The talks were held indirectly, with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi shuttling proposals between the two sides.
Both Iran and the Omani mediator described the exchanges as constructive and positive. A prominent advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader suggested an agreement could be reached immediately if talks focused solely on Iran’s commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, adding that Araghchi has sufficient authority to reach a final deal. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also stated that Iran will not pursue nuclear weapons because the Supreme Leader’s religious declaration forbids it.
The core sticking points remain clear. The US is pushing Iran to halt uranium enrichment entirely and curtail its long-range missile program. Iran insists enrichment is its right as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and says it will only offer permanent assurances that its program is peaceful in exchange for the full lifting of sanctions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is working to rebuild its enrichment capability and is also pursuing intercontinental ballistic missiles. Araghchi dismissed reports of long-range missile development as fake news and said Iran’s missile program is capped at 2,000 kilometers for defensive purposes only.
The diplomatic backdrop is tense. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, departed a Greek naval base on Thursday heading toward the Middle East, where the US has already amassed a significant number of warships and aircraft as leverage. Senator Lindsey Graham publicly called for regime change in Iran and rejected any deal that allows even minimal enrichment. A new AP-NORC poll found that while around half of US adults view Iran’s nuclear program as a direct threat, only about one quarter say they trust Trump’s judgment on the use of military force abroad.
