Iran-US Talks: Nuclear Deal Framework Takes Shape as Both Sides Agree on Core Principles

A fragile but notable diplomatic achievement emerged from Geneva on Tuesday as Iran and the United States, negotiating indirectly through Omani mediators, agreed on a set of guiding principles intended to structure future nuclear negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi called the outcome encouraging, while stressing that the road to a final deal remained long and uncertain.
The session lasted around three and a half hours and tackled some of the most technically and politically sensitive issues dividing the two countries. At the heart of the discussions was Iran’s enrichment programme — specifically the fate of its stockpile of nearly weapons-grade uranium and the conditions under which IAEA inspectors might regain comprehensive access to Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran signaled a willingness to dilute its 60% enriched uranium and allow expanded IAEA oversight, presenting these steps as meaningful confidence-building measures. However, Tehran maintained firm red lines: no discussion of its ballistic missile programme and no surrender of its right to enrich uranium domestically — a demand the US has insisted upon as non-negotiable.
The broader geopolitical context remained volatile. The US continued its military buildup in the Gulf region, while Iran announced live-fire naval exercises in part of the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global shipping lane. Supreme Leader Khamenei delivered a defiant speech, warning that Iran would not submit to negotiations with predetermined outcomes designed to strip it of nuclear energy rights.
Back home, Iran was gripped by collective grief. The 40th-day memorial for protesters killed in recent demonstrations drew enormous crowds, and the judiciary reported summoning over 10,000 protesters for trial. President Pezeshkian, attending a ceremony in Mashhad, appeared visibly shaken by the scale of the tragedy unfolding within his country’s borders.