Washington, Feb 23 (.) The United States and Iran will hold another round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday as President Donald Trump weighs potential military action if Tehran does not agree to a deal curbing its nuclear programme.
Amid the ongoing talks and heightened military readiness on both sides, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed hope for “a good text and a fast deal.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that recent negotiations with Washington had produced “encouraging signals,” but warned that Tehran is prepared for any outcome ahead of Thursday’s meeting.
“Iran is committed to peace and stability in the region,” Pezeshkian wrote on X. “Recent negotiations involved the exchange of practical proposals and yielded encouraging signals. However, we continue to closely monitor U.S. actions and have made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario.”
The planned talks follow two earlier rounds of indirect negotiations, mediated by Oman, aimed at reviving diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear activities. Badr al-Busaidi, Oman’s foreign minister, confirmed that a third round would take place in Geneva on Thursday, describing efforts to “go the extra mile towards finalising the deal.”
Trump warned that limited strikes against Iran are possible, and both Iran and the U.S. have signaled they are prepared for war if the talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fail.
Shortly before Oman’s announcement, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS in an interview that he expected to meet US envoy Steve Witkoff in Geneva on Thursday and said a “good chance” remained for a diplomatic solution on the nuclear issue.
Araghchi said a deal remains “quite possible,” despite heightened tensions. “We are trying to make it something that includes elements which can accommodate both sides’ concerns and interests,” he told CBS’s Face the Nation. He added that when the sides meet again in Geneva, they could “prepare a good text and come to a fast deal.”
Trump has warned of “really bad things” if no agreement is reached and has recently considered a limited strike on Iran. In recent days, Washington has increased its military presence in the Gulf, deploying additional aircraft and naval assets to the region.
Trump’s special envoy for the talks, Steve Witkoff, said the president was questioning why Iran had not agreed to US demands. “I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated,’” Witkoff said in an interview on Fox News. “But he’s curious as to why they haven’t capitulated.”
Araghchi responded on X: “Curious to know why we do not capitulate? Because we are Iranian.”
In a separate interview, Araghchi described Iran’s nuclear program as a matter of national “dignity and pride,” saying the country developed the technology independently despite years of sanctions and attacks on its facilities. He emphasized that Iran would not abandon what it considers its right to peaceful nuclear energy under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and maintained that its program is monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
However, enrichment remains a key sticking point in the negotiations. Araghchi said both sides understand each other’s positions and that “a solution is achievable.”
US officials have said any deal must include significant limits on Iran’s nuclear activities. Trump has indicated he could make a decision on the next steps within days if diplomacy fails.
The renewed talks come amid growing concern that escalating rhetoric and military deployments may escalate the long-running dispute into open conflict, even as both sides publicly signal that a negotiated settlement remains within reach.
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