Geneva – Another round of indirect talks between Iranian and United States officials concluded with a mediator claiming "significant progress" but still no clear evidence that either side is willing to make sufficient concessions to avoid war.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said after the Geneva talks that further technical talks would be held next week in Vienna and progress had been "good". "These were the most serious and longest talks," he stated.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, who mediated, said Iranian and US diplomats would consult with their governments before the Vienna talks. Few details have emerged, but Araghchi was reported to have briefly met US envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Iranian delegation handed its written proposals to Al Busaidi, who then met the US delegation led by Witkoff and Jared Kushner. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi also participated, as the IAEA would handle nuclear monitoring and verification in Iran under any agreement.
The two sides remain at odds over key issues, including uranium enrichment and missiles. Washington has repeatedly emphasized it will not accept any nuclear enrichment on Iranian soil, even at civilian levels agreed in the 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump unilaterally abandoned in 2018.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran will never develop nuclear weapons and countered Trump's assertion that Iran is "the world's number one sponsor of terror". "If the realities are seen fairly, it will become clear that Iran is not only not a supporter of terrorism, but one of the main victims of terror in the region and across the world," he said.
Iran's proposal is expected to gauge US "seriousness" in the talks as it contains "win-win" offers. These are believed to include diluting part of Iran's 60-percent enriched uranium and keeping it inside the country, potentially paired with economic opportunities for the US related to Iranian oil and gas and aircraft purchases.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei maintained tough rhetoric against the US, casting doubt on any agreement. Araghchi said even if Khamenei is killed, Iran's theocratic establishment would continue due to legal procedures for appointing a successor.
Iranian and US officials have hailed supposed "progress" in indirect talks this month, but many Iranians continue to prepare for war.
Source: www.aljazeera.com