US and Iranian officials are set to meet in Geneva on Thursday for a third round of indirect negotiations, as pressure mounts for progress in the US Iran nuclear talks and President Donald Trump threatens military action if no agreement is reached.
Diplomatic push amid military build-up
The discussions come against the backdrop of the largest US military build-up in the Middle East since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. In recent weeks, Washington has deployed thousands of troops, two aircraft carriers, additional warships, fighter jets, and refuelling aircraft to the region.
Trump has said he prefers diplomacy but is also considering a limited strike on Iran to pressure its leadership into accepting a deal. However, he has not clearly outlined what specific concessions the US is seeking or why military action might now be necessary, eight months after the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities during a conflict between Israel and Iran.
Iran has warned it would respond forcefully to any attack.
Sticking points over enrichment
Iran has rejected Washington’s demand to halt uranium enrichment on its soil, though there are indications Tehran may be willing to offer concessions related to its nuclear programme.
As in the previous two rounds of talks mediated by Oman earlier this month, the Iranian delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The US side will be represented by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
For decades, the US and Israel have accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran maintains that its programme is strictly for peaceful purposes. However, it remains the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium to near weapons-grade levels.
The US struck three nuclear sites in Iran last June, joining Israel in a bombing campaign. Trump said at the time the facilities had been “obliterated”. Iran says enrichment stopped after the attacks but has not allowed inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to access the damaged sites.
State of the Union remarks
In his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump briefly addressed tensions with Iran, accusing it of attempting to restart a nuclear weapons programme and of developing missiles that could soon reach the US. He also said he could not allow what he called the “world’s number one sponsor of terror” to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Hours before the speech, Araghchi wrote on social media that Iran would “under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon” and described the talks as an “historic opportunity” for a mutually beneficial agreement.
An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman later accused the US of repeating “big lies” regarding its nuclear programme, ballistic missiles and the crackdown on anti-government protests.
Sanctions and regional concerns
Iran’s proposals have not been made public, but discussions in Geneva could include the creation of a regional consortium for uranium enrichment and arrangements for Iran’s stockpile of roughly 400kg of highly enriched uranium.
In exchange, Tehran expects the lifting of sanctions that have severely damaged its economy. Critics of the Iranian government argue that sanctions relief would provide the ruling clerical establishment with renewed leverage.
Iran has already ruled out negotiations over its ballistic missile programme or its support for regional allies, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen- an alliance it refers to as the “Axis of Resistance”.
Reports in US media suggest Trump is weighing possible strikes on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards or nuclear facilities if talks fail, with some scenarios extending to a broader campaign targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has reportedly warned of the risks of escalation, though Trump has said military action would be “easily won”.
US-allied countries in the region have expressed concern that any strike could trigger a wider conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cautioned against any deal that excludes Iran’s ballistic missile programme and regional alliances.
Ahead of the State of the Union, Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed senior congressional leaders in a classified session. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer later said the situation was serious and called on the administration to clearly present its case to the American public.
Source: BBC
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