Iran and the United States are set to hold a second round of discussions on Tehran’s nuclear program next week, according to the Swiss Foreign Ministry on Saturday, as reported by the AP.
The talks will be held in Geneva and hosted by Oman, which also hosted the first round of indirect talks on February 6, although the exact dates were not disclosed by the Swiss ministry.
After initial discussions, US President Donald Trump warned Tehran that failure to reach an agreement with his administration would be “very traumatic”.
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Similar talks collapsed in June last year when Israel launched a 12-day war with Iran that included a US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to force Iran to agree to curb its nuclear program. Iran has said it will respond with an attack of its own. Trump also threatened Iran over its deadly crackdown on recent nationwide protests there.
Arab countries in the Persian Gulf have warned that any attack could spiral into further regional conflict.
Trump said Friday that the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, had been sent from the Caribbean to the Middle East to join other military assets the US has built up in the region. He also said that a change of power in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen.”
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Indirect talks on February 6 took place between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff. The highest military commander in the Middle East was also present for the first time.
The Trump administration has argued that Iran cannot have any uranium enrichment under any deal. Tehran says it will not agree to this.
Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. However, its officials are increasingly threatening to pursue a nuclear weapon. Before the June war, Iran enriched uranium to 60% purity, a short technical step from weapons grade.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his nation was “ready for any kind of verification”. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency has been unable to inspect and verify Iran’s nuclear stockpile for months.
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In recent weeks, Trump has indicated that his main goal is for Iran to curb its nuclear capabilities, while Iran has insisted that negotiations focus solely on its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met with Trump in Washington this week, called for any deal to also address Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Canada wants regime change in Iran
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand told the Globe and Mail on Saturday that Canada favors regime change in Iran, but did not specify whether the country would support a US military strike, Reuters reported.
“We will not open diplomatic relations with Iran unless there is regime change. Period,” Anand told the Globe and Mail in an interview in Germany, where she is attending the Munich Security Conference, Reuters reported.
Canada has particularly bad relations with Iran, cutting diplomatic ties in 2012.
Key things
- The US is trying to limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities, while Iran insists on peaceful intentions.
- Regional tensions are escalating with potential military action looming over the talks.
- Canada’s position underscores the complexity of international relations regarding Iran.