GENEVA, Switzerland— The United States and Iran ended another round of indirect nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday without a breakthrough, but both sides signaled enough movement to keep diplomacy alive as fears of a wider Middle East conflict intensify. Oman, which is mediating the negotiations, said the discussions produced “significant progress” and that technical-level talks will continue next week in Vienna.
The Geneva session was the third high-level meeting in roughly a month, following earlier Omani-mediated talks in Muscat and Geneva. The discussions brought together Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi acting as intermediary. Reuters said the talks included a morning session and a second round in the afternoon.
At the heart of the dispute is a familiar divide. The Trump administration wants Iran to stop uranium enrichment entirely and eventually address its ballistic missile program and support for armed groups across the region. Tehran, by contrast, insists the talks must remain focused only on the nuclear file, maintains its program is peaceful, and says any agreement must include sanctions relief and recognition of its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes. Oman initially described the exchanges during the day as involving “creative and positive ideas,” and later upgraded that assessment to “significant progress.” Iranian state television, quoted by Reuters, said Araghchi described the talks as among the most serious Iran has had with Washington, while acknowledging that key differences remain.
The negotiations are taking place under heavy military pressure. Reuters reported last week that President Donald Trump warned Iran to make a deal within 10 to 15 days or face “really bad things,” while the U.S. has moved additional warships and aircraft into the region. Iran has warned that if attacked, U.S. bases in the Middle East would be legitimate targets, raising the risk of a regional war that could also draw in Israel. That danger was underscored by Araghchi’s own warning in an interview released around the talks, in which he described a conflict as a “very terrible scenario” that could engulf the wider region. For now, diplomacy is still alive — but only narrowly.
