US and Iranian officials have made "significant progress" in high-stakes nuclear talks in Geneva, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi stated, though prospects for a deal to avert war remain unclear.
Albusaidi, who acted as mediator, said the sides plan to resume negotiations "soon" after consultations in their capitals, with technical-level discussions scheduled for next week in Vienna.
There was no immediate comment from US or Iranian officials.
With President Donald Trump threatening to strike Iran if no deal is reached, this third round of talks in recent weeks was viewed as a last-ditch diplomatic effort.
Trump has ordered the largest US military buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion, while Iran has vowed to respond forcefully to any attack.
The Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, insisted on Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy and rejected US demands to completely halt uranium enrichment on its soil and transfer its enriched uranium stockpile abroad.
However, officials are believed to have offered concessions, though details have not been disclosed. In return, Iran expects the lifting of sanctions that have crippled its economy.
It remains unclear what terms Trump might accept for a deal. Iran has already refused to discuss limits on its ballistic missile program or ending support for regional proxies.
In recent weeks, the US has deployed thousands of troops and what Trump termed an "armada" to the region, including two aircraft carriers, warships, fighter jets, and refueling aircraft.
Trump first threatened to bomb Iran last month but has since shifted focus to Iran's nuclear program, central to a long-running dispute with the West.
For decades, the US and Israel have accused Iran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons. Iran insists its program is solely for peaceful purposes, though it is the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium to near-weapons-grade levels.
In his State of the Union address, Trump spoke vaguely about tensions with Iran without clearly justifying potential strikes. He claimed Iran is building missiles that will "soon" reach the US and accused it of trying to "start all over again" with a nuclear weapons program after last year's strikes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi posted on social media that Iran will "under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon" and highlighted an "historic opportunity for an unprecedented agreement addressing mutual concerns."
Source: www.bbc.com