Iran foreign minister says progress made in nuclear talks with US in Geneva
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi smiles upon his arrival to deliver a speech during a session of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament, on the sideline of a second round of US-Iranian talks with Washington pushing Tehran to make a deal to limit its nuclear programme, in Geneva, on February 17, 2026. PHOTO: AFP
Iran and the United States reached an understanding on Tuesday on the main "guiding principles" in talks aimed at resolving their longstanding nuclear dispute, but that does not mean a deal is imminent, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said.
Oil futures fell and the benchmark Brent crude contract dropped more than 1% after Araghchi,’s comments, easing fears of conflict in the region, where the US has deployed a battle force to press Tehran for concessions.
"Different ideas have been presented, these ideas have been seriously discussed. Ultimately we've been able to reach a general agreement on some guiding principles," Araghchi, told Iranian media after the talks concluded in Geneva.
Switzerland's Foreign Minister Federal councillor Ignazio Cassis (R) meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a bilateral meeting between Switzerland and Iran, in Geneva, Switzerland on February 17, 2026. PHOTO: AFP
The indirect discussions between US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, alongside Araghchi, were mediated by Oman. Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said on X that "much work is yet to be done", but Iran and the US were leaving with "clear next steps".
Today’s indirect negotiations between The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America in Geneva concluded with good progress towards identifying common goals and relevant technical issues. The spirit of our meetings was constructive. Together we made serious…
Just as talks began, Iranian state media said Iran would temporarily shut part of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil supply route, due to "security precautions" while Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards conducted military drills. Tehran has in the past threatened to shut the strait to commercial shipping if attacked, which could choke a fifth of global oil flows and drive up crude prices.
Also Read: Iran signals flexibility ahead of Geneva round of N-talks
"US must drop threat to using force," says Iran
Earlier. Araghchi said that US should immediately desist from threatening to use force against Iran.
Speaking at a disarmament conference in Geneva after the talks, Araghchi, said a "new window of opportunity" had opened and he hoped discussions would lead to a "sustainable" solution ensuring full recognition of Iran's legitimate rights.
Read More: Iran says US 'more realistic' on nuclear issue, as Guards begin drills in Hormuz Strait
Trump said he would be involved "indirectly" in the Geneva talks and believed Tehran wanted to make a deal. "I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. "We could have had a deal instead of sending the B-2s in to knock out their nuclear potential. And we had to send the B-2s."
The US joined Israel last June in bombing Iranian nuclear facilities. The US and Israel believe Iran aspires to build a nuclear weapon that could threaten Israel's existence. Iran says its nuclear programme is purely peaceful, even though it has enriched uranium far beyond the purity needed for power generation and close to what is required for a bomb.
Responding to Trump’s comments that "regime change" in Iran might be best, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any US attempts to depose his government would fail. "The US president says their army is the world's strongest, but the strongest army in the world can sometimes be slapped so hard it cannot get up," he said.
Iran to shut parts of Strait of Hormuz
In an earlier development, Iran said that it will partially shut down parts of Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil supply route, state media said, as it held talks over its disputed nuclear programme with the US, which has sent a battle force to the Gulf to press Tehran to make concessions.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran's views on the nuclear issue, the lifting of sanctions, and a framework for any understanding had been conveyed to the US side.
Iran says it will only discuss nuclear programme
Since those strikes, Iran's Islamic rulers have been weakened by street protests, suppressed at a cost of thousands of lives, against a cost-of-living crisis driven in part by international sanctions. Washington has sought to expand talks to non-nuclear issues, such as Iran's missile stockpile.
Tehran says it is willing only to discuss curbs on its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief and will not give up uranium enrichment completely or discuss its missile programme. Khamenei reiterated that Iran's missile stockpile is non-negotiable and its type and range have nothing to do with the US.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters the success of the Geneva talks hinged on the US avoiding unrealistic demands and showing seriousness on lifting crippling sanctions.
Two weeks to close gaps
Iran said it would make detailed proposals in the next two weeks to close gaps in nuclear talks with the US, according to a US official on Tuesday.
Read More: Iran’s Guards begin drills in Hormuz Strait
"Progress was made, but there are still a lot of details to discuss," the official, who declined to be identified, said regarding discussions in Geneva. "The Iranians said they would come back in the next two weeks with detailed proposals to address some of the open gaps in our positions."
Tehran and Washington were scheduled to hold a sixth round of talks in June last year when Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran, later joined by US B-2 bombers striking nuclear targets. Tehran has since halted uranium enrichment activity.
Iran has joined the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which guarantees countries the right to pursue civilian nuclear power in return for forgoing atomic weapons and cooperating with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Israel, which has not signed the NPT, neither confirms nor denies having nuclear weapons, under a decades-old ambiguity policy designed to deter surrounding enemies. Scholars believe it does.