Reside: US-Iran to carry third spherical of talks as Trump deploys warships in Mideast

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Issued on: 26/02/2026 - 07:07 Modified: 26/02/2026 - 08:09

Composite reveals Iranian International Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) and US envoy Steve Witkoff, who're main oblique US-Iran negotiations in Geneva, February 26, 2026. © AP file Iran and the US are holding the third spherical of oblique talks in Geneva Thursday as President Donald Trump ramps up stress on Tehran with an enormous deployment of army plane and warships to the Center East. Comply with our liveblog for the newest updates.

26/02/2026 - 08:09 Iran president reiterates Iran's opposition to constructing nuclear weapons Iran's Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has banned weapons of mass destruction, which "clearly means Tehran will not develop nuclear weapons", President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Thursday.

Pezeshkian was talking forward of a 3rd spherical of oblique talks with the US in Geneva.

Khamenei, who has the final say on Tehran's nuclear programme, banned the improvement of nuclear weapons in a fatwa, or spiritual decree, within the early 2000s.

26/02/2026 - 07:19 Iranian FM Araghchi meets Omani counterpart forward of oblique talks Iran's official IRNA information company reviews that Iranian International Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Omani counterpart Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi in Geveva on Wednesday evening forward of at the moment's talks.

Oman is mediating the oblique US-Iran talks in Switzerland.

26/02/2026 - 07:06 Iran's refusal to debate missiles a 'massive, massive drawback', Rubio says On the eve of at the moment's high-stakes talks in Geneva, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday warned that Iran should negotiate on its missile programme.

"I might say that the Iranian insistence on not discussing ballistic missiles is an enormous, massive drawback," Rubio informed reporters on the eve of latest talks between the USA and Iran.

Rubio, nevertheless, steered away from describing if the talks in Geneva could be a make-or-break second in deciding if the USA assaults Iran.

"The president needs diplomatic options. He prefers them enormously," Rubio stated.

As for the talks, "hopefully they're productive, however ultimately we'll must have conversations about greater than only a nuclear program."

On a possible strike on Iran, Rubio stated: "The president's made no determination on that, so I do not know if Thursday's the important thing date for that. I believe progress must be made."

Yesterday's key developments: Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed reporters Wednesday that Iran's refusal to talk with the US about ballistic missiles is "an enormous drawback".

“No matter they’re alleging with regard to Iran’s nuclear programme, Iran’s ballistic missiles, and the variety of casualties throughout January’s unrest is just the repetition of ‘massive lies’,” wrote Iranian international ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei on X.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated he had a “beneficial outlook for the negotiations” that would lastly “transfer past this ‘neither battle nor peace’ scenario”.