Iran and the United States have come to an agreement on key “guiding principles” during talks to address their longstanding nuclear dispute, as reported by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi. However, Aragchi emphasized that this does not indicate an imminent deal. Following Aragchi’s remarks, oil futures dropped and the benchmark Brent crude contract decreased by more than one percent, alleviating concerns of potential conflict in the region.
Aragchi stated to Iranian media that various proposals were discussed and debated thoroughly, leading to a general consensus on certain guiding principles. A U.S. official mentioned that Iran is expected to provide detailed proposals within the next two weeks to bridge the gaps in the nuclear discussions. Despite progress being made, the official highlighted that there are still numerous details that need to be addressed.
The indirect negotiations involving U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Aragchi, were facilitated by Oman. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi acknowledged that there is much work left to be done but mentioned that both Iran and the U.S. have identified clear next steps to follow.
During the talks’ commencement, Iranian state media announced a temporary closure of part of the Strait of Hormuz for security reasons while Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards conducted military exercises in the area. This move, threatened in the past by Tehran, could potentially disrupt a significant portion of global oil flows and escalate crude prices.
In response to President Trump’s comments suggesting “regime change” in Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any U.S. attempts to overthrow the government would be unsuccessful. Khamenei emphasized that even the most powerful military forces could face significant setbacks.
Araghchi expressed optimism at a disarmament conference in Geneva, referring to a “new window of opportunity” and hoping for talks to yield a “sustainable” solution that upholds Iran’s legitimate rights. Trump indicated indirect involvement in the Geneva discussions, believing that Tehran is interested in reaching a deal to avoid undesirable consequences.
The U.S. and Israel, concerned about Iran’s alleged nuclear ambitions, have previously conducted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. While Washington aims to broaden the scope of discussions to include non-nuclear issues like Iran’s missile capabilities, Tehran insists on focusing solely on nuclear program limitations in exchange for sanctions relief.
Khamenei reiterated Iran’s stance on its missile arsenal, asserting that it is non-negotiable and unrelated to the U.S. A senior Iranian official emphasized that the success of the Geneva talks hinges on realistic demands from the U.S. and the seriousness of lifting the debilitating sanctions on Iran.
Lastly, both countries were set to engage in a sixth round of talks last year, but Israel’s military actions against Iran, followed by U.S. B-2 bomber strikes on nuclear targets, disrupted the negotiations. The discussions took place at the residence of the Omani ambassador to the United Nations amid tight security measures, with visible presence of cars bearing Iranian diplomatic plates.