U.S. says ‘progress made’ in Iran talks, as Ukraine negotiations continue in Geneva

The United States and Iran reported measured progress after a new round of indirect talks in Geneva aimed at resolving the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme, while separate negotiations on Russia’s war in Ukraine focused on practical next steps.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the two sides had reached an understanding on key “guiding principles” for future negotiations. Draft texts will now be prepared and exchanged before the next round, though he stressed that further work is required.

The talks lasted around three hours and were held at the residence of Oman’s ambassador, with Omani officials moving between the American and Iranian delegations. Araghchi described the discussions as more constructive than a previous round held in Oman and said good progress had been made.

“We now have a clear path ahead, which in my view is positive,” he said, while cautioning that a final agreement was not imminent.

U.S. officials confirmed progress but said significant details remain unresolved. Washington expects Tehran to present detailed proposals within two weeks to address the remaining gaps.

Badr Albusaidi, Oman’s foreign minister whose country is mediating the talks, said discussions had made good progress in identifying shared objectives and relevant technical issues, adding that much work remains.

According to three Iranian officials familiar with the negotiations, Iran conveyed a willingness to suspend uranium enrichment for three to five years, potentially covering the remainder of Trump’s presidency, before joining a regional consortium for civilian-grade enrichment. The officials said Iran would dilute its existing uranium stockpile under international inspection.

In return, Tehran is seeking the lifting of U.S. financial and banking sanctions and the removal of restrictions on its oil exports. The same officials said Iran also signalled openness to expanded trade and investment opportunities with the United States, particularly in the energy sector. These proposals have not been publicly confirmed by Washington.

The U.S. and its European allies continue to express concern that Iran could move towards developing a nuclear weapon, an allegation Tehran denies.

Iran has said the talks focus strictly on its nuclear programme and sanctions relief, while U.S. officials have indicated they also want to address Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and its support for armed groups across the region.

President Donald Trump said he believed Iran wanted a deal but warned of consequences if negotiations failed. He has previously referred to authorising strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities using B-2 bombers and has ordered a military build-up in the region, including the deployment of two aircraft carriers, according to U.S. officials.

Regional tensions remain elevated. Iran temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz for naval exercises conducted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In remarks delivered shortly after the talks began, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded to the U.S. military deployment by saying that while an aircraft carrier is a dangerous asset, more dangerous than the carrier is the weapon that can send it to the bottom of the sea.

Vice-President JD Vance said the talks showed positive signs, including agreement to meet again, but noted that Iran had not yet acknowledged certain red lines set by Trump.

• Iran ‘fully prepared to defend itself,' says Iranian FM Araghchi at UN Disarmament Conference
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• 'The path for a deal has started,' says FM Araghchi as Iran‑U.S. talks conclude in Geneva

Ukraine negotiations

A U.S. delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner took part in the Geneva talks aimed at advancing efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The American officials joined Ukrainian and Russian representatives in meetings held in bilateral and trilateral formats as part of a U.S.-brokered process.

The first day focused on what Kyiv described as practical issues and the mechanisms of possible solutions, signalling an emphasis on technical steps rather than broad political declarations.

Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said discussions centred on workable measures and would resume for a second day. Russian news agencies, citing an unnamed source, described the six-hour session as very tense. 

Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said no announcements should be expected and confirmed discussions would continue on Wednesday without media access. 

• Kremlin cautions against expecting progress on first day of Geneva talks
• Ukraine, Russia and U.S. to hold third round of Geneva talks as fighting intensifies

Territory remains the core point of disagreement. Russia is demanding that Ukraine cede the remaining part of the Donetsk region it does not control, a condition Kyiv rejects. Moscow currently occupies about 88% of the Donbas region and roughly 20% percent of Ukraine’s overall territory, including Crimea and areas seized before 2022.

The talks unfolded against a backdrop of continued fighting. Russia carried out overnight air strikes across parts of Ukraine. In Odesa, damage to energy infrastructure left tens of thousands without heat and water, according to Ukrainian officials. Kyiv’s mayor said more than 1,000 residential buildings remain without heating following earlier strikes on a power facility.

Political tensions have also surfaced publicly. In an interview with Axios, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Trump was exerting undue pressure on him to move quickly towards a settlement. He described it as not fair that Ukraine, rather than Russia, was being publicly urged to make concessions, while expressing hope that the approach was tactical rather than final.

Trump has indicated that Ukraine must act swiftly for negotiations to succeed, telling reporters that Kyiv should come to the table fast.

Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his peacemaking efforts and said his discussions with Witkoff and Kushner had not involved the same degree of pressure. He added that Ukrainians would reject any proposal requiring them to give up territory not captured by Russia if such a plan were put to a referendum.

Instead, he called for positions to be frozen along the current front line, suggesting that such an arrangement could gain public support.

Further talks

Further discussions are expected on both tracks in the coming days.

On Iran, U.S. officials expect Tehran to submit detailed proposals within two weeks aimed at narrowing the remaining gaps. Draft texts are to be exchanged before the next round, though no timetable has been set for concluding a final agreement.

On Ukraine, talks are scheduled to resume as negotiators attempt to narrow differences over territory and other unresolved issues. Officials have downplayed expectations of an immediate breakthrough, signalling that additional rounds would likely be required before any broader settlement can be reached.

The Geneva meetings come days before 24 February, marking four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Tens of thousands have been killed, millions displaced and extensive areas of infrastructure damaged.

While both diplomatic tracks remain open, the first day of talks produced no substantive agreement, with further sessions expected in the coming days.

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