Iran’s top diplomat said that the next round of nuclear talks is expected in less than a week after what he described as “progress in the most serious exchanges” between Tehran and Washington. The statement follows the third round of nuclear talks on Thursday (26 February) in Geneva.
The dialogue was mediated by the Sultanate of Oman in an attempt to resolve the long-standing U.S.-Iran dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme which is dramatically spiralling towards a military escalation.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led the Iranian delegation and the U.S. team was headed by Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner who joined the renewed talks after they were disrupted by Israel-U.S. invasion last June.
"Of course, there are still differences of opinion, which is natural. But compared to the past, more seriousness is observed on both sides to reach a negotiated solution," Araghchi told reporters after the meeting.
"It was agreed that from Monday, technical teams in Vienna and at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will begin expert reviews so that technical issues can be sorted within a specific framework which will adapted to the demands and political considerations of both sides,” IRNA state news agency quoted FM Araghchi.
The Iranian side, he said, laid out its demand for lifting sanctions and the process for their removal and both sides needed to consult with their respective capitals.
“We expressed very clearly our expectations regarding the lifting of sanctions. Consultations should take place in the capitals, and then we will have the fourth round of negotiations next week,” he added.
On the eve of talks, Araghchi met with mediator Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi on Wednesday reviewing preparations of the talks.
He submitted Iran’s proposal on a nuclear agreement to his Omani counterpart which was relayed to the U.S. side.
Earlier this week in an interview with CBS, he said Tehran was working on core elements of a draft text that includes provisions accommodating the concerns and interests of both sides.
Earlier, he said in a series of posts on social media X that Iran and U.S. “have (an) historic opportunity to strike “as soon as possible an unprecedented, fair and equitable deal”.
Prior to his departure to Geneva, he stressed in an interview with India Today TV, that “Iran is ready for both war and peace” to safeguard its right to civilian nuclear programme under the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
He was referring to Washington’s military buildup in the region to pressure Tehran to a deal or face the risks of another U.S. invasion after it bombed Iran’s nuclear sites last June during a 12-day war.
Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi who spoke with Araghchi by phone this week participated in the Geneva talks.
Grossi has said previously that an “obvious gap” exists between Iran and U.S. over uranium enrichment.
U.S. officials demand “zero enrichment” but the Iranian side regards this as a “red line” for the country and an inherent and non-negotiable right under NPT.
“Uranium enrichment is a matter of dignity and pride and we will not abandon it. Iran is a member of NPT and has every right to enjoy peaceful nuclear energy including enrichment” Araghchi told CBS.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that there are encouraging signals in the renewed mediated talks between Iran and Washington, stressing unity to overcome the country’s enemies.
In a meeting with political figures and businessmen during a visit to the Caspian Sea province of Mazandaran on Wednesday, he stated, “We see a promising outlook regarding the talks.”
Last week, he said in a post on X social media that talks with the U.S. have “yielded encouraging signals” stressing Iran’s readiness “for any potential scenario”.
Today’s (26 February) nuclear negotiations in Geneva which followed the 6 February meeting in Oman and 17 February talks in Switzerland were regarded as an historic and decisive opportunity to strike a deal and avert a military standoff.
Iran has vowed that it would retaliate any U.S. attack as an “act of aggression” warning that its backlash will spill over to the region as it will attack U.S. bases and interests in the surrounding countries as “legitimate targets”.
The Ground Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) staged a large-scale combined drill along Iran’s southern coastline on Tuesday with combat and support units taking part.
IRGC commanders described the drill codenamed “Combined Exercise 1404” as an example of how emerging technologies are being incorporated into ground warfare to improve precision, mobility, and coordination on the battlefield.
The wargame was held on the eve of the nuclear talks amid escalation of tensions and speculation of war between Tehran and Washington following the U.S. buildup of military assets in the region.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has strongly warned against U.S. military build-up for a war with Iran and also slammed the U.S. determining outcome of the nuclear negotiations.
"Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea,” he said in a public meeting last week.
Japan’s growing interest in Caspian crude reflects a pragmatic response to uncertainty in global energy markets and its continued reliance on...
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi told Iran’s top diplomat in Kabul ...
The escalation of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran since 28 February 2026 has moved beyon...
U.S. President Donald Trump has been weighing whether to deploy ground forces to seize Iran’s strategic oil hub of Kharg Island - an operatio...
Stock markets across Asia fell on Monday as escalating conflict involving Iran drove oil prices sharply higher, fuelling fears of inflation and a p...
Japan’s growing interest in Caspian crude reflects a pragmatic response to uncertainty in global energy markets and its continued reliance on the Middle East for more than 90% of its oil imports.
The escalation of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran since 28 February 2026 has moved beyond a regional security crisis to become a systemic shock to the global economy and our pockets.
Stock markets across Asia fell on Monday as escalating conflict involving Iran drove oil prices sharply higher, fuelling fears of inflation and a potential global recession, with investors reacting to disruption risks in the Strait of Hormuz and prolonged hostilities.
The war in Iran has rapidly upended regional security, triggering spillover across the Middle East and raising fears of wider economic disruption that could threaten globalisation.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S is in talks with the new Iranian regime. He said this in a post on his Truth Social account but warned that the U.S. will "Obliterate" Iran's electric and oil facilities if no deal is reached, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz closure.
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers will become 'food for sharks' if U.S. President Donald Trump launches ground attacks against Iran. The threat comes after the U.S. military said it was deploying thousands of Marines to the region.
Two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico arrived safely in Havana on Saturday, the Mexican Navy said, concluding a journey in which the vessels were delayed by bad weather and briefly reported missing.
China imposed sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya on Monday, who is a close aide of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, due to his "collusion with Taiwan independence" forces, in its latest move in a diplomatic row over Taiwan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he talked about a possible security partnership on Sunday with Jordan's King Abdullah over defending against drone attacks amid rising tensions over the Iran conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had "no problem" with any country sending crude to Cuba as a Russian tanker neared a Cuban port with a badly needed shipment, signalling he was reversing course on blocking oil shipments to the country on Sunday.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment