Iran: new talks with US ‘probably on Thursday in Geneva’

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held out the prospect of another round of negotiations with the US. Keystone-SDA

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held out the prospect of another round of negotiations with the United States in a few days in the conflict over the country's controversial nuclear programme.

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“I assume that we will be able to work out a workable text at our new meeting this Thursday in Geneva and reach an agreement quickly,” Araghchi told US broadcaster CBS News.

He was confident that a better deal than the 2015 Vienna nuclear agreement was possible. There are elements that could go well beyond the agreement at the time, he said. Among other things, such an agreement could guarantee the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme and at the same time enable sanctions to be lifted, according to the Iranian chief diplomat.

The US and Israel have so far demanded that Iran completely abandon its nuclear programme and, in particular, zero uranium enrichment. However, Tehran is only prepared to reduce the current enrichment level of 60% in order to confirm that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes and that the country is not working on nuclear weapons, contrary to Western fears. In return, Iran is demanding the lifting of Western sanctions.

If the two sides fail to reach a compromise, there is a risk of military escalation. In view of the ongoing unrest in Iran, such a conflict could also have domestic political consequences. Parts of the Iranian opposition are even hoping for a change of power.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff said in an interview broadcast on Fox News on Saturday that US President Donald Trump was “curious” why Iran had not yet “I don’t want to say the word capitulate, but why they haven’t capitulated” even under the military pressure that the US has built up in the region with an increased presence. Araghchi addressed this in a post on Platform X on Sunday night, writing, “Curious why we don’t surrender? Because we are IRANIANS.”

Adapted from German by AI/ts

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