“[Aragczi] left Tehran for Geneva (…) at the head of a diplomatic and technical delegation to participate in the second round of nuclear negotiations and conduct a series of diplomatic consultations,” the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. It noted that the talks between the US and Iran would be held with mediation by Oman.
When is the second round of Iran-US negotiations taking place?
Who heads the Iranian delegation?
What topics will be discussed in the negotiations?
Who will mediate the talks?
As the ministry added, Aragchi is expected to meet in Geneva with the heads of diplomacy of Switzerland and Oman, as well as, among others, with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi.
Iran-USA negotiations. A decisive response from the United States
The first round of Iran-US talks took place on February 6 in the capital of Oman, Muscat. From the US side, the special envoy of the US President, Steve Witkoff, and Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, participated in them, while the Iranian delegation was led by Aragchi. Both sides assured their readiness to resume negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program, which raises concerns in the West.
However, Washington wanted to expand the topic of talks to include Iran's ballistic missile program, Tehran's support for armed groups in the region, such as Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the Houthis in Yemen, as well as the treatment of its own citizens by the Iranian authorities. According to Reuters, Iran has rejected US calls to halt uranium enrichment and has previously signaled that it does not intend to discuss other issues.
Shortly after the talks, the U.S. Department of State announced sanctions on 15 entities, two individuals and 14 shadow fleet units linked to the illegal trade of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products and petrochemicals. In turn, President Trump signed an executive order under which the US administration may impose tariffs on countries purchasing goods or services from Iran.
