U.S. and Iran to carry a 3rd spherical of nuclear talks : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8640x5760+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb0%2Fa2%2F6c07459447f29cb65783230eb280%2Fap26056576135498.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8640x5760+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb0%2Fa2%2F6c07459447f29cb65783230eb280%2Fap26056576135498.jpg" class="img" alt="Vehicles drive past the Saint Sarkis church and a painting of the late Iranian revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini in downtown Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026." fetchpriority="high"/> Autos drive previous the Saint Sarkis church and a portray of the late Iranian revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini in downtown Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Vahid Salemi/AP cover caption

toggle caption

Vahid Salemi/AP GENEVA — Iran and the US ready to fulfill Thursday in Geneva for nuclear negotiations, talks considered as a final likelihood for diplomacy as America has gathered a fleet of plane and warships to the Center East to stress Tehran right into a deal.

U.S. President Donald Trump desires a deal to constrain Iran's nuclear program, and he sees a chance whereas the nation is struggling at house with rising dissent following nationwide protests final month. Iran in the meantime has maintained it desires to proceed to counterpoint uranium at the same time as its program sits in ruins following Trump ordering an assault in June on three of the Islamic Republic's nuclear websites.

If an American assault occurs, Iran has mentioned all U.S. army bases within the Mideast could be thought-about reputable targets, placing in danger tens of hundreds of American service members. Iran has additionally threatened to assault Israel following a bruising 12-day battle final yr, that means a regional battle once more may erupt throughout the Center East.

"There could be no victory for anyone — it will be a devastating battle," Iranian International Minister Abbas Araghchi informed India Immediately in an interview filmed Wednesday simply earlier than he flew to Geneva.

"For the reason that People' bases are scattered via completely different locations within the area, then sadly maybe the entire area could be engaged and be concerned, so it's a very horrible state of affairs."

Geneva talks would be the third assembly since June battle Araghchi once more will sit throughout from Steve Witkoff, a billionaire actual property developer and good friend of Trump who serves as a particular Mideast envoy for the president. The 2 males held a number of rounds of talks final yr that collapsed after Israel launched its battle in opposition to Iran in June. These newest talks are once more being mediated by Oman, a sultanate on the jap fringe of the Arabian Peninsula that is lengthy served as an interlocutor between Iran and the West.

Araghchi met Oman's International Minister Badr al-Busaidi after arriving in Geneva on Wednesday evening. The boys "reviewed the views and proposals that the Iranian facet will current to succeed in an settlement on the Iranian nuclear program, primarily based on the guiding ideas agreed upon within the earlier spherical of negotiations," a report from the state-run Oman Information Company mentioned. Al-Busaidi will move on Iran's provide to American officers on Thursday, it added.

On this spherical of negotiations after the June battle, Trump has pushed to halt Iran's enrichment of uranium fully, in addition to deal with Tehran's ballistic missile program and its help of regional militant forces. Iran has maintained the talks should stay centered solely on nuclear points.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed reporters Wednesday that Iran is "at all times making an attempt to rebuild parts" of its nuclear program. He mentioned that Tehran just isn't enriching uranium proper now, "however they're making an attempt to get to the purpose the place they in the end can."

Iran has mentioned it hasn't enriched since June, nevertheless it has blocked inspectors from the Worldwide Atomic Power Company from visiting the websites America bombed. Satellite tv for pc images analyzed by The Related Press additionally has proven exercise at two of these websites, suggesting Iran is making an attempt to evaluate and probably get well materials there.

The West and the IAEA say Iran had a nuclear weapons program till 2003. Earlier than the June assault, it had been enriching uranium as much as 60% purity — a brief, technical step away from weapons-grade ranges of 90%.

U.S. intelligence businesses assess that Iran has but to restart a weapons program, however has "undertaken actions that higher place it to supply a nuclear system, if it chooses to take action." Whereas insisting its program is peaceable, Iranian officers have threatened to pursue the bomb in recent times.

"The precept's quite simple: Iran can't have a nuclear weapon," U.S. Vice President JD Vance informed reporters on the White Home on Wednesday.

Vance mentioned Trump is "sending these negotiators to attempt to deal with that downside" and "desires to handle that downside diplomatically."

"However, after all, the president has different choices as effectively," Vance added.

Menace of army motion sparks battle fears If the talks fail, uncertainty hangs over the timing of any potential assault.

If the intention of potential army motion is to stress Iran to make concessions in nuclear negotiations, it isn't clear whether or not restricted strikes would work. If the objective is to take away Iran's leaders, that may doubtless commit the U.S. to a bigger, longer army marketing campaign. There was no public signal of planning for what would come subsequent, together with the potential for chaos in Iran.

There may be additionally uncertainty about what any army motion may imply for the broader area. Tehran may retaliate in opposition to the American-allied nations of the Persian Gulf or Israel. Oil costs have risen in current days partly as a result of these considerations, with benchmark Brent crude now about $70 a barrel. Iran within the final spherical of talks mentioned it briefly halted visitors within the Strait of Hormuz, the slender mouth of the Persian Gulf via which a fifth of all oil traded passes.

Satellite tv for pc images shot Tuesday and Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by the AP appeared to indicate that American vessels usually docked in Bahrain, the house of the U.S. Navy's fifth Fleet, have been all out at sea. The fifth Fleet referred inquiries to the U.S. army's Central Command, which declined to remark. Earlier than Iran's assault on Qatar in June, the fifth Fleet equally scattered its ships at sea to guard in opposition to a possible assault.