Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Geneva “for a third round of indirect negotiations with US representatives over the Iranian nuclear program,” Iranian state media IRNA said on February 26.
“Araghchi and his accompanying delegation arrived in the Swiss city on Wednesday evening ahead of talks with American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, scheduled for the following day,” IRNA noted.
These are important talks and come amid tensions between the US and Iran. Various reports over the last month have portrayed the US as prepared to carry out wide-ranging airstrikes and a long campaign against the Iranian regime.
In recent days, the US President Donald Trump delivered a State of the Union address where he appeared to lay some of the groundwork for why the US would carry out strikes.
On the other hand, some reports have expressed concern about the challenges the US may face in a conflict.
Araghchi holds pre-US nuclear talks with Oman mediator
Iran is hoping it can get to an agreement with the US. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, prior to this third round of talks with the US. “Araghchi and Al Busaidi met and held talks in Geneva on Wednesday evening, hours after the Iranian foreign minister and his accompanying delegation arrived in the Swiss city,” IRNA noted.
They discussed what will happen in the future and also the need for coordination. “The negotiations, which are being held indirectly through the Omani foreign minister, mark the third round of such talks, following previous rounds held on February 6 and 17 in Muscat and Geneva, respectively.
The first two rounds of the talks were also held indirectly through Al Busaidi.” Oman is therefore very important. Iran insists on this “indirect” form of talks, and this appears to make the talks also go slowly.
Araghchi told India Today that Iran wants “a fair, balanced, and equitable deal is achievable.” IRNA noted that, “Iran has said that any agreement should include the removal of sanctions against the nation.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that “unity and national cohesion are essential to counter what he described as enemies’ efforts to weaken and divide Iran.” He was speaking during a meeting with academics and political, social, and cultural activists in Mazandaran Province. IRAN noted that “he warned that discord and internal disputes would serve the enemies’ goals, while national unity would make Iran invincible.”
He said, “If we stand together and pursue a common goal, no power will be able to defeat Iran.” Pezeshkian has been portrayed as largely sidelined in Iran and not having much control over what comes next.
The real power behind the throne is apparently the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani. He recently held a meeting about “preserving stability and calm in the Caucasus through cooperation among regional countries, without the involvement of extra-regional powers.” He made the remarks with Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan in Tehran.
Iran hopes it can escape the possible US strikes. It is saying its missiles are not a threat, even as Israel has warned increasingly about the Iranian ballistic missile threat.