US, Iran to Resume Nuclear Talks in Geneva Amid Rising Tensions
GENEVA – The United States and Iran are set to resume nuclear negotiations in Geneva on Thursday, Oman’s foreign minister announced Sunday, as fears of escalating conflict in the region persist. The talks represent a potential turning point in a period of heightened tension, with Washington having recently redeployed military assets to the Middle East.
The renewed diplomatic effort comes as Donald Trump’s administration appears to believe Tehran is offering serious proposals to curb its enriched uranium stockpile and demonstrate it is not pursuing a nuclear weapon. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed cautious optimism, telling CBS News he believed a diplomatic solution remained possible and that negotiators aimed for a “fast deal.”
However, Araghchi also warned that Iran would defend itself if attacked, alluding to U.S. military presence in the region as potential targets.
The negotiations are unfolding against a backdrop of internal unrest in Iran. Student demonstrations have continued at universities in Tehran and Mashhad, with reports of clashes between students and the Basij militia in the latter city. The protests, which resumed after universities reopened following earlier demonstrations in December and January, are focused on commemorating those killed and injured during previous unrest. The government claims just over 3,000 deaths occurred during the earlier protests, while human rights groups estimate a minimum of 6,000. Iran has refused access to a UN-led fact-finding committee, maintaining its internal inquiry is sufficient.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff publicly questioned why Iran hasn’t yet yielded to U.S. pressure, using language that stopped short of demanding complete surrender. “He’s curious as to why they haven’t… I don’t want to use the word ‘capitulated,’ but why they haven’t capitulated,” Witkoff told Fox News.
Iran’s negotiating position centers on retaining the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes under a new verification regime overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In exchange, Iran would dilute its highly enriched uranium stockpile and allow full IAEA access to its nuclear sites, with the expectation of sanctions relief.
Within the U.S. political landscape, calls for military action against Iran, previously voiced by figures like Senator Lindsey Graham, appear to be losing momentum. For Trump, a key challenge will be presenting any new agreement as an improvement over the 2015 nuclear deal – an agreement he withdrew the U.S. from in 2018.
Araghchi suggested a new deal could surpass the previous one by committing Iran’s nuclear program to peaceful purposes “forever,” addressing a key criticism of the time-limited 2015 agreement. Experts suggest Iran might retain the right to enrich uranium for power generation, but with strictly limited practical capacity.
U.S. officials believe key decision-making within Iran is increasingly concentrated in the hands of Foreign Minister Araghchi and Ali Larijani, chair of the supreme national security council, potentially sidelining Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian. The political marginalization of Pezeshkian has been underscored by the recent arrests of his supporters within the Reformists Front coalition, many facing charges of supporting foreign interests.
