The United States and Iran are to hold the next round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday after both sides ramped up military preparations in the region in recent days.
Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, who is helping to facilitate the discussions, confirmed the time and place on Sunday, calling the move a “positive push to go the extra mile towards finalising the deal.”
It comes after Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi told CBS that he anticipated meeting US envoy Steve Witkoff in Geneva on Thursday.
Mr Araghchi said Iran was working on finalising a draft proposal, adding there is a “good chance” for a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear issue, which remains the sole topic of the discussions.
The US and Israel have sought to address the country’s missile programme and Iranian backing of armed proxy groups across the Middle East. Iran has rejected any moves to widen the scope of negotiations.
The US has not commented on the reports of further talks.
On Friday President Donald Trump told reporters that he was considering a limited military strike on Iran continuing a pattern of barely veiled threats. Both sides have signalled their preparedness for conflict if talks were to fail.
Amid a growing US military buildup, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that President Trump was confused as to why Iran had not “capitulated”.
“I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated’… because he [Trump] understands he’s got plenty of alternatives, but he’s curious as to why they haven’t… I don’t want to use the word ‘capitulated’, but why they haven’t capitulated,” he told Fox News.
US officials told Reuters this week that America’s military planning had reached an advanced stage after President Trump ordered a massive naval buildup as talks continued.
It includes the world’s largest warship, the USS Gerald R Ford, which was involved in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and the USS Abraham Lincoln.
Pursuing leadership change and targeting specific individuals had also been discussed as options according to the sources. A move to impose global tariffs was struck down by the Supreme Court on Friday.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded to the positioning of aircraft carriers by threatening to sink them.
“They constantly say, ‘we have sent an aircraft carrier towards Iran’,” he said. “OK, of course an aircraft carrier is a dangerous device, but more dangerous than the carrier is the weapon that can send it to the bottom of the sea.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said negotiations had thus far involved “the exchange of practical proposals and yielded encouraging signals,” but cautioned that Tehran had “made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario.”
A sticking point for both side includes Iran’s right to enrich uranium, which Iran insists on. But the US demands that Iran possess no nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them, including the enriching of uranium.
Mr Araghchi claimed that US negotiators had not demanded zero enrichment, contradicting official announcements by US officials. He insisted Iran’s nuclear programme would “remain peaceful forever” in exchange for confidence-building measures and relief from economic sanctions.
The US and its allies including Israel suspect that Iran’s nuclear programme is aimed at developing weapons and is not peaceful. Israel and the US joined forces to attack nuclear sites in Iran in June last year as part of Operation Midnight Hammer. The precise extent of the damage caused is unknown as Tehran has barred international inspectors.
Talks between Iran and the US have remained deadlocked for years after the US withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
Tensions have been heightened as economic sanctions sparked merchant protests over rising costs. The demonstrations spread across the country resulting in a brutal crackdown on dissent.
Rights groups estimate that at least 7,000 people have been killed.
Source: independent.co.uk