Iranian Foreign Minister Oman Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said on February 26 that the two sides had made "significant progress" after meetings in Geneva, Switzerland. He said negotiations would soon resume after consultations in each country's capitals, and technical discussions are expected to take place in Vienna next week.
The working sessions included two morning and afternoon meetings between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US special envoys Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner. Mr. Albusaidi said the two sides exchanged "creative and positive" ideas, but did not disclose details and did not confirm that the biggest obstacles had been removed.
Mr. Araqchi described this as one of the most serious rounds of negotiations between the two countries, saying that the two sides have reached consensus on some issues and still have differences in other contents. Iran emphasized the request to lift US sanctions, while Washington has long asked Tehran to make broad concessions before taking this step.
An Iranian official said that the two countries could reach an agreement framework if Washington separates nuclear and non-nuclear issues. President Donald Trump's administration affirmed that the ballistic missile program and Iran's support for armed groups in the region must be included in the negotiation content.
Washington wants Tehran to abandon all uranium enrichment activities. Iran has repeatedly denied its intention to develop nuclear bombs and said it will show flexibility, while proposing new concessions in exchange for lifting sanctions and recognizing uranium enrichment rights.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Iran's refusal to discuss its missile program is a major issue that needs to be addressed.
Diplomatic developments take place amid growing concerns about conflict in the Middle East. Mr. Trump once warned that Iran must reach an agreement within 10-15 days, otherwise it will face "really bad things". He declared priority for a diplomatic solution but did not allow Tehran to possess nuclear weapons.
The US has increased the deployment of fighter jets and aircraft carrier strike groups to the area. Iran has launched missiles in response to airstrikes on nuclear facilities and warned of strong retaliation if attacked again, raising concerns about widespread conflict.
Domestically, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei faces economic pressure due to sanctions and social instability. President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed that Mr. Khamenei has banned weapons of mass destruction, reaffirming that Tehran does not develop nuclear weapons.
