Omani Foreign Minister: Next US-Iran Negotiations to Be Held Thursday in Geneva
Tehran/Muscat (ANTARA) - Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi said on Sunday (22/2) that the next round of United States-Iran negotiations will be held on Thursday (26/2) in Geneva, Switzerland.
“I am pleased to confirm that US-Iran negotiations have now been scheduled to take place in Geneva this Thursday, with positive momentum to make extra efforts towards reaching an agreement,” he said on the social media platform X.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said he may meet with Steve Witkoff, the US President’s special envoy, in Geneva on Thursday (26/2) to discuss a draft proposal for a possible nuclear deal being prepared by Tehran.
He made the remarks in an interview with CBS News, which aired on Sunday (22/2).
Araghchi said that if the US wishes to find a solution to Iran’s “peaceful” nuclear programme, diplomacy is the only way.
He stated that Iran had proved this in the past, “and I believe there is still a good opportunity to reach a diplomatic solution, based on the principle of mutual benefit (win-win).”
Araghchi proposed an affordable solution for both sides. The Iranian foreign minister also said that a military build-up was unnecessary as it would neither help the process of reaching an agreement nor pressure Iran.
Responding to the draft proposal he had previously said would be prepared “within two to three days,” Araghchi said, “We are still working on it, and we are striving to make it a draft consisting of elements that can accommodate the concerns and interests of both sides.”
He added that Iran and the US could reach a better nuclear deal than the one signed by Tehran and several world powers in 2015.
Araghchi said that unlike previous negotiations, where the parties involved discussed a great many details, “this time, such extensive detail is not necessary, and we can agree on the fundamentals and ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever, and at the same time, more sanctions will be lifted.”
He said that the nuclear issue is the sole focus of the ongoing negotiations, whilst highlighting Iran’s right to enrich uranium on its territory.
“We are a committed member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and have a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We are ready to fully cooperate with the agency in accordance with the safeguards and may accept an additional protocol to the safeguards and NPT under certain conditions. I believe a full verification and monitoring mechanism (for Iran’s nuclear programme) is acceptable and can be implemented,” he said.
On Sunday (22/2), Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the latest negotiations with the US “showed encouraging signals,” but Iran was prepared to face “all possible scenarios.”
“Iran is committed to peace and stability in the region. The latest negotiations involved the exchange of practical proposals and showed encouraging signals. However, we continue to closely monitor US actions and have made all necessary preparations to face all possible scenarios,” Pezeshkian said in a social media post.
Iran and the US held the first and second rounds of nuclear negotiations on 6 February in Muscat, Oman, and 17 February in Geneva, Switzerland, respectively. This diplomatic process is taking place amid a US military build-up near Iran.