Tracking down the Iran talks in Geneva

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A member of the international press corps is waiting outside the residence of Oman’s residence in Cologny, a village close to Geneva. Mark Henley

The talks mobilised both the international and local press, much to the surprise of local residents who saw an eclectic mix of Chinese, Iranian, Americans and Arabs talking earnestly into cameras or telephones in Cologny, where the Oman's residence is based. Mark Henley

Chinese media using a smart phone to make a statement outside the Oman Mission to the United Nations in the village of Pregny-Chambésy, where it had been said that the Iranian - American talks would be being held that morning. Mark Henley

A foreign car with a ‘PERSIA’ number plate driven by someone claiming to be part of the Iranian opposition media, passing the International press lined up at the side of the road, in the village of Pregny-Chambésy, opposite the Oman Mission to the United Nations. Mark Henley

The journalist and cameraman for the Iranian State TV channel IRIB are searching for the location for her "Stand-up" with the location of the meeting in the background. Mark Henley

Two women side by side, both are Iranian. The journalist on the left came to Geneva to report for IRIB, the Iranian State Television Channel, the woman in the red coat is a producer for the BBC. Mark Henley

After an hour or so of waiting outside the Oman mission in Pregny-Chambésy and various TV anchors delivering statements, a chauffeur came out of a black car to whisper in a couple of ears that the talks weren’t happening there at all. Mark Henley

The anchor for SKY News is making a statement in front of cameras outside the residence of the Omani Mission in Colgny. Mark Henley

The IRIB Team finally found their spot and the journalist talks to the camera with the Lake and the Geneva UN Headquarters in the background. Mark Henley

Geneva police check the papers of Iranian protesters who placed themselves between the Geneva Intercontinental and the Palais des Nations to attract the attention of the international media, Wednesday 18 February 2026. Mark Henley

Most of Wednesday Iranian opposition figures staged demonstrations outside the Geneva UN Headquarters – with images of the son of the last Shah of Iran, as the potential next ruler of Iran. Mark Henley

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Geneva held crucial talks on Iran on Tuesday. These were covered in-depth by the international and local press. Mark Henely, a Geneva-based photographer was on the ground to document the meetings. But he told a whole other story instead. 

The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation arrives at the Conference on Disarmament, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Mark Henley

Henely spent all of Tuesday trying to document talks between Iran and the United States. This sent him – and a cohort of journalists –around Geneva in search of how to tell a story which happened behind closed doors. Rather than come back empty handed, Henely captured how difficult it is to photograph history in the making.  

On Tuesday, the United States and Iran began their second round of indirect talks in the Swiss city. Oman was acting as the facilitator of the talks, focused on the future Iran’s nuclear programme.  

American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff wanted to obtain commitments from Iran regarding its stockpile of enriched uranium. Israel not only wanted these nuclear raw materials to be moved to another country but also any infrastructure that could produce them to be dismantled. 

On the Iranian side, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hoped for rapid reciprocity, in particular the lifting of US sanctions in exchange.  

Araghchi, said after the talks that “agreement was reached on general guiding principles”. 

As is often the case with diplomatic talks, the press is often notified at the last moment on the location and exact content of the discussions.  

The information was – it was not sure where it first came from, and what point it became definite – that the Iran meeting would happen at Oman’s mission to the UN in the affluent village of Pregny-Chambésy. Almost everyone, international and local press alike, went there, much to the surprise of local residents.

After an hour or so, and various TV anchors delivering statements, a chauffeur came out to whisper in a couple of ears that it wasn’t happening there at all. Then rumours spread that it was actually at the Omani residence in Cologny, on the other side of the lake, for which there was no address listed anywhere.

That was the beginning of mad chase by Henely to pin down the delegations and document the talks.  

Edited by Virginie Mangin/Thomas Kern/ac