Iran and the United States held talks in Geneva for a third time on Thursday as President Donald Trump seeks to delay Tehran’s nuclear program while threatening it by deploying a massive number of aircraft and warships to the Middle East.<\/p>\n
U.S. special Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and friend of Trump, met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in an effort to convince his country to halt its enrichment of uranium, a key step to building a nuclear bomb, and curtail or stop its production of long-range missiles.<\/p>\n
Oman\u2019s foreign minister later said that the talks had ended in Geneva but \u201cwill resume soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iran has maintained that it will continue to enrich uranium even as its program sits in ruins following a U.S. attack in June on three of its nuclear sites. If an American attack happens, Iran has said all U.S. military bases in the Mideast will considered legitimate targets and has also threatened to attack Israel.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the latest:<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIran\u2019s FM describes talks with US as \u2018most intense\u2019<\/p>\n
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said indirect talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program had been \u201cone of our most intense and longest rounds of negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Araghchi made the comments in an interview with Iranian state television moments after the talks in Geneva ended. He offered no specifics, but said: \u201cWhat needs to happen has been clearly spelled out from our side.\u201d<\/p>\n
The U.S. has yet to offer a comment on the talks. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIraqi militia threatens prolonged \u2018war of attrition\u2019<\/p>\n
Iraq\u2019s most powerful Iran-backed militia has called for preparation of a prolonged \u201cwar of attrition\u201d with the United States should there be a strike on Iran.<\/p>\n
\u201cShould America proceed with igniting the spark of war in the region, it will find itself facing heavy losses that will be impossible to contain or compensate for,\u201d Kataib Hezbollah said in a published statement, also threatening the authorities of the semiautonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq which hosts exiled dissident Kurdish Iranian groups.<\/p>\n
The statement comes as the U.S. is building up the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades.<\/p>\n
Kataib Hezbollah is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of mostly Shiite, Iran-backed militias that formed to fight the Islamic State extremist group as it rampaged across the country more than a decade ago.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTalks in Geneva end, but \u2018will resume soon\u2019<\/p>\n
Oman\u2019s foreign minister said that talks between the United States and Iran had ended in Geneva but \u201cwill resume soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Badr al-Busaidi wrote on X that there had been \u201csignificant progress in the negotiation,\u201d without elaborating. He said technical-level talks would take place next week in Vienna, home to the International Atomic Energy Agency.<\/p>\n
There was no immediate comment from U.S. or Iranian officials.<\/p>\n
Analysts had been concerned that ending the talks without an immediate deal could spark U.S. military action against Iran.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUS delegation returns to resume talks<\/p>\n
A convoy carrying U.S. diplomats has arrived to resume indirect talks with Iran over its nuclear program.<\/p>\n
The cars pulled into the compound on the shores of Lake Geneva. A convoy carrying Iranian diplomats had earlier arrived.<\/p>\n
The two sides had taken a break of several hours in the talks, which kicked off earlier Thursday. The U.S. side went to a meeting with Ukrainian officials during that time as well.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIranian diplomats return to Geneva talks venue after a break<\/p>\n
A convoy believed to be carrying Iranian diplomats has returned to an Omani diplomatic residence in Geneva hosting indirect talks with the United States over Tehran\u2019s nuclear program.<\/p>\n
The convoy pulled into the compound on the shores of Lake Geneva.<\/p>\n
The two sides had taken a several-hour break in the talks. The U.S. side went to a meeting with Ukrainian officials during that time.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHouse Democrats to force war powers vote on Iran<\/p>\n
House Democratic leaders say they will force a vote next week on legislation requiring President Donald Trump to terminate military force against Iran unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war from Congress.<\/p>\n
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries was joined in the announcement by several Democrats who serve as the ranking member on committees with jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
Their press release on Thursday said the Iranian government is \u201cbrutal and destabilizing,\u201d and cited the killing of thousands of protesters.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, undertaking a war of choice in the Middle East, without a full understanding of all the attendant risks to our servicemembers and to escalation, is reckless,\u201d the release stated. \u201cWe maintain that any such action would be unconstitutional without consultation with and authorization from Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA \u2018narrow pathway to a deal\u2019<\/p>\n
The U.S. delegation\u2019s willingness to continue talks with Iran reflects a positive atmosphere on a \u201cdecisive day\u201d of nuclear talks, an Iran expert at the International Crisis Group said.<\/p>\n
Talks are set to resume after Washington received a proposal from Tehran earlier Thursday. The meetings were behind closed doors, and details about the proposal were not disclosed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reality is that there is a narrow pathway to a deal but it does require both sides to soften their red lines,\u201d Ali Vaez told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the talks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important that the U.S. is coming back to the table and trying to get to the finish line,\u201d he said, adding that a breakdown of diplomacy could result in an unpredictable war.<\/p>\n
A breakthrough remains tough between the two bitter enemies, and Vaez believes it would require a \u201ca commensurate match between dilution of stockpile and sanctions relief.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIran says \u2018very constructive\u2019 proposals exchanged so far<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s foreign ministry says delegates from the country and the United States have exchanged \u201cvery constructive\u201d proposals so far in their third round of nuclear talks in Geneva.<\/p>\n
Talks have briefly paused and are set to continue around 1630GMT Thursday as \u201cboth delegations needed to hold consultations with their respective capitals,\u201d the ministry\u2019s spokesperson Esmail Baghaei added.<\/p>\n
He said they discussed proposals regarding Iran\u2019s nuclear program and sanctions relief, but did not provide details.<\/p>\n
Tehran and Washington\u2019s indirect talks in the Swiss city included Oman\u2019s foreign minister and the head of the International Atomic Agency, the United Nation\u2019s nuclear watchdog. It is seen as a last chance for diplomacy. The U.S. has gathered a fleet of aircraft and warships to the Middle East to pressure Tehran into a deal.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOmani minister says \u2018creative and positive ideas\u2019 were exchanged<\/p>\n
Oman\u2019s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who has been mediating the negotiations, said the two sides have been exchanging \u201ccreative and positive ideas\u201d and will resume talks after a break.<\/p>\n
Al Busaidi said he is hopeful that more progress can be made later Thursday when negotiations resume.<\/p>\n
Convoys believed to be holding the Iranian and U.S. delegations left the Omani residence in Geneva after several hours of indirect negotiations starting Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUS diplomats appear to have departed from talks venue<\/p>\n
A convoy believed to be carrying U.S. diplomats left an Omani diplomatic residence in Geneva that was hosting indirect talks with Iran over its nuclear program.<\/p>\n
Iranian state television reported Thursday that indirect talks with the United States will resume later in the day after both sides take a break.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t clear what the reason for the break was. The two sides had been having indirect talks for hours mediated by Oman<\/p>\n
Both the Iranian and the American delegations had been at the residence for hours.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIranian advisor suggests \u2018agreement is within reach\u2019 if talks are focused<\/p>\n
A prominent advisor to Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader has suggested that Iran could reach an immediate agreement in talks with the U.S. if they focused solely Iran\u2019s commitment not to develop nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the main issue of the negotiations is Iran\u2019s non-development of nuclear weapons, this is consistent with the Supreme Leader\u2019s fatwa (religious declaration) and Iran\u2019s defense doctrine, and an immediate agreement is within reach,\u201d Ali Shamkhani wrote on X on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He added that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has \u201csufficient support and authority\u201d to come to a final agreement in the talks.<\/p>\n
Shamkhani was wounded in the 12-day war between Israel and Iran earlier this year.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOman says it presented Iran\u2019s proposals to the US<\/p>\n
Oman has presented Iran\u2019s proposals to U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Thursday during the third round of nuclear negotiations taking place in Geneva, the Omani Foreign Ministry wrote on X.<\/p>\n
The ministry published a photo of Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi with Witkoff and Kushner, signaling indirect talks are underway. The Foreign Ministry said al-Busaidi went over the U.S. inquiries and requests regarding Iran\u2019s nuclear program and the necessary guarantees to achieve a deal, and said the talks were continuing in a \u201cconstructive\u201d way.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIndirect talks between Iran and the US underway in Geneva<\/p>\n
Oman\u2019s Foreign Ministry published images of U.S. special Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump\u2019s son-in-law, meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Bader al-Busaidi.<\/p>\n
The location appeared to be the Omani diplomatic residence in Geneva along the shores of Lake Geneva. An Associated Press journalist earlier saw two convoys believed to be carrying Iranian and U.S. diplomats arrive there.<\/p>\n
Iran and the U.S. are meeting in Geneva for nuclear negotiations, talks viewed as a last chance for diplomacy as America has gathered a fleet of aircraft and warships to the Middle East to pressure Tehran into a deal.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIran says talks will focus only on nuclear issue<\/p>\n
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Iran\u2019s State TV that negotiations, as in previous rounds, will focus solely on the nuclear issue. <\/p>\n
He added that the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency may also be present, similar to previous negotiations. \u201cOur positions are clear: the lifting of sanctions and the peaceful use of nuclear energy,\u201d Baghaei said.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tConvoy believed to be carrying American diplomats enters Omani residence<\/p>\n
A convoy believed to be carrying American diplomats arrived Thursday to the Omani residence in Geneva for indirect talks with Iran.<\/p>\n
An Associated Press journalist saw the convoy enter the compound.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOman’s foreign minister talks Iran with international nuclear agency chief<\/p>\n
Oman\u2019s foreign minister met Thursday with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.<\/p>\n
Badr al-Busaidi\u2019s meeting with Rafael Mariano Grossi of the IAEA comes as Iran and the United States hold indirect negotiations over Tehran\u2019s nuclear program.<\/p>\n
Oman\u2019s Foreign Ministry announced the meeting, saying it came as \u201cpart of consultations and the exchange of views on technical matters related to the Iranian nuclear dossier and the new ideas currently under negotiation between the Iranian and American sides.\u201d<\/p>\n
The IAEA did not immediately acknowledge the meeting. The IAEA is the United Nations\u2019 nuclear watchdog, which likely would be the inspectors both countries would rely on in any possible deal.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUS Sen. Lindsey Graham says he favors regime change<\/p>\n
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a hardliner regarding U.S. policy on Iran, insists Iran should not be allowed to enrich uranium to any degree, and said he was in favor of regime change.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf media reports are true that there is a consideration of allowing Iran to have very small enrichment of uranium for face-saving purposes: screw that,\u201d the Republican senator said in a post on X late Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Accusing Iran\u2019s government of being \u201cthe largest state sponsor of terrorism,\u201d the senator from South Carolina said he \u201ccould care less about efforts to save face for this regime. I would like to see the people of Iran change the regime \u2013 it\u2019s long overdue.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIranian foreign minister in interview ahead talks says deal possible<\/p>\n
Just before leaving for the third round of nuclear negotiations with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told India Today on Wednesday that he believes a \u201cfair, balanced, and equitable deal\u201d is possible based on foundations built during the previous talks. But he added that Iranians are approaching these talks with more caution, after Israel launched an attack during U.S.-Iranian nuclear negotiations last June, and the U.S. also attacked multiple Iranian nuclear sites.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wounds of that aggression is still alive in our minds,\u201d he said. \u201cThis time, we are obviously more careful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Araghchi added that rumors Iran was developing a missile capable of reaching the U.S. are \u201cfake news\u201d and that the country had capped its missile capabilities at a distance of 2,000 kilometers (1250 miles) for defensive purposes only.<\/p>\n
He also stressed that Iran\u2019s red line is that it will not give up its ability to enrich uranium, which he said the country does for peaceful purposes. Iran can offer permanent \u201cconfidence\u201d that its program is peaceful in exchange for the total termination of sanctions, he said.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmerican supercarrier leaves Greek port for Middle East waters<\/p>\n
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world\u2019s largest aircraft carrier, left an American naval base in southern Greece Thursday after a brief stopover of a few days while on its way to the Middle East, where the U.S. has amassed a large number of warships and aircraft as tension with Iran spikes.<\/p>\n
Tugboats towed the aircraft carrier away from the Souda Bay naval base on the island of Crete as talks between Iran and the United States were due to begin in Geneva.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIran’s president says religious leader doesn’t want nukes<\/p>\n
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says Iran will not have nuclear weapons because the country\u2019s religious leader has said the country does not plan to pursue nuclear weapons. \u201c\u201cThe religious leader of a society can\u2019t lie,\u201d Pezeshkian said on state television on Thursday in Sari, northern Iran, as the third round of nuclear negotiations with the U.S. are about to take place in Geneva. \u201cWhen he announces that we won\u2019t have nuclear weapons, it means we won\u2019t. Even if I want to do that, I can\u2019t, because of my beliefs.”<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOman’s foreign minister flashes a thumbs up<\/p>\n
Oman\u2019s foreign minister flashed a thumbs up to an Associated Press journalist on Thursday who shouted a question about whether he was hopeful about the talks.<\/p>\n
Badr al-Busaidi was leaving a hotel in Geneva on Thursday morning. He sped away in a sedan guided by a police escort.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOman says it has received Iranian proposals<\/p>\n
Oman said Thursday it had received \u201cviews and proposals\u201d from Iran on the ongoing nuclear talks.<\/p>\n
In a statement on the state-run Oman News Agency, it said Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi received the information in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.<\/p>\n
Al-Busaidi \u201cis expected to meet with the American negotiating team this morning to convey the Iranian perspective and, in turn, listen to the ideas and proposals put forward by the American side,\u201d the agency said.<\/p>\n
From there, further indirect talks will take place.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMost Americans see Iran as an enemy but doubt Trump\u2019s judgment on military force, AP-NORC poll finds<\/p>\n
A new AP-NORC poll found that many U.S. adults continue to view Iran\u2019s nuclear program as a threat, but few Americans have high trust in President Donald Trump\u2019s judgment on the use of military force abroad. <\/p>\n
The survey was conducted Feb. 19-23, as military tensions built in the Middle East between the United States and Iran. <\/p>\n
It found that about half of U.S. adults are \u201cextremely\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d concerned that Iran\u2019s nuclear program poses a direct threat to the United States, but only about one-quarter of Americans say they have high trust in Trump on relationships with adversaries or the use of military force abroad. <\/p>\n
Read more here.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIranian foreign minister meets Omani counterpart<\/p>\n
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Oman\u2019s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi after arriving in Geneva on Wednesday night. The men \u201creviewed the views and proposals that the Iranian side will present to reach an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, based on the guiding principles agreed upon in the previous round of negotiations,\u201d a report from the state-run Oman News Agency said. <\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLatest round of talks in Geneva under Omani mediation<\/p>\n
These latest talks in Geneva are again being mediated by Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula that\u2019s long served as an intermediary between Iran and the West. <\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Iran has to stop nuclear and missile programs<\/p>\n
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said just ahead of the talks that Iran is \u201calways trying to rebuild elements\u201d of its nuclear program. He said that Tehran is not enriching uranium right now, \u201cbut they\u2019re trying to get to the point where they ultimately can.\u201d <\/p>\n
Rubio also told reporters late Wednesday in St. Kitts, where he was attending a regional summit with Caribbean leaders that Iran is \u201ctrying to achieve intercontinental ballistic missiles.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Iran and the United States held talks in Geneva for a third time on Thursday as President Donald…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21921,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[2898,2900,2897,65],"class_list":{"0":"post-23122","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-geneva","8":"tag-ap-politics","9":"tag-ap-world-news","10":"tag-associated-press","11":"tag-geneva"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23122"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23122\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}