New round of US-Iran nuclear talks opens in Geneva with Omani mediation

2026-02-26 - 09:12

A new round of indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States commenced in Geneva Thursday under Omani mediation, Oman's Foreign Ministry confirmed. The talks began concurrently with a meeting between Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi, during which Busaidi emphasized "the need to ensure transparency, credibility, and proper governance of the relevant procedures" and the IAEA's professional and technical role. Delegations and Previous Progress Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi heads Tehran's diplomatic delegation, accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi and a team of nuclear and legal experts. The US side, as in previous rounds, is led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Following the prior Geneva round—which came after initial talks in Muscat—both sides offered positive assessments and agreed on "guiding principles" that Iranian negotiators suggested could pave the way toward a potential agreement. Regional Context and Tensions The negotiations resume amid a significant US military buildup in the Persian Gulf, including two carrier strike groups, and a series of recent drills by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Regional countries including Türkiye have actively worked to ease tensions and revive diplomatic channels following the June 2025 escalation that saw US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Tehran insists discussions must remain confined to nuclear issues and demands sanctions relief, while Washington seeks expanded scope and maintains military pressure as a backdrop to diplomacy.