Second round of U.S.-Iran talks offer some signs of progress

The second round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks concluded in Geneva on Tuesday as both sides look to find a diplomatic solution to Tehran’s nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is leading the Iranian delegation, said the talks were constructive and that the “path for a deal has started,” without clarifying what exactly was discussed.

“We came to some agreements and some main principles. And based on those principles, we will eventually draft a document,” Mr. Araghchi said after the meeting. “We are hopeful we can achieve this.”

He confirmed that the two sides did not agree on a date for a third round of talks, adding that Tehran and Washington will have time to draft potential agreements to be exchanged at the next meeting.

“This does not mean that we can reach an agreement quickly, but at least the path has begun,” Mr. Araghchi told reporters in Geneva.

The U.S. delegation, led by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Mr. Araghchi reportedly met separately on Tuesday with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi at the Omani ambassador’s residence.

Mr. Albusaidi concurred with Mr. Araghchi in a statement on Tuesday, writing that both sides had made “serious efforts” at identifying “common goals and relevant technical issues.”

Tuesday’s meeting reportedly focused on nuclear issues, with both sides exchanging notes via Omani mediators. Iran has attempted to keep the discussions centered on the country’s controversial nuclear program after President Trump initially insisted that negotiations also cover Tehran’s ballistic missile program and its support for regional proxy groups.

U.S. negotiators under Mr. Trump have ruled out letting Tehran keep its nuclear program during last year’s discussions, which were interrupted in June by preemptive strikes on key uranium enrichment sites in Iran. The strikes kicked off a 12-day war among Israel, the U.S. and Iran that decimated Tehran’s enrichment and defense infrastructure.

This month’s negotiations are the first official diplomatic talks between Tehran and Washington since the June war. 

Mr. Araghchi on Tuesday reiterated that Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon and that its uranium enrichment program is within the bounds of international law.

Atomic analysts have long warned that while Iran may not possess a nuclear weapon, its enrichment level is far too high for purely civilian purposes and that it is only a few steps away from weapons-grade uranium enrichment.

Iran may be more willing to offer concessions on its nuclear program this time around, as the clerical regime in Iran faces intense pressure following nationwide protests in January. Still, Mr. Araghchi has insisted that Iran will not give up its nuclear program without sanctions relief.

The talks follow Iran’s bombshell announcement that it would close the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman on Monday as its Revolutionary Guard Corps conducted live-fire drills in the area. The waterways, some of the most essential routes for international shipping, were closed for several hours during the exercises.

That apparent show of force was followed by aggressive comments from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who asserted that U.S. warships in the Middle East were vulnerable to attacks from his country.

“An aircraft carrier is a dangerous machine, but even more dangerous than that is the weapon capable of sending it to the bottom of the sea,” he said, according to Iranian media. “The strongest military in the world might sometimes receive a blow so hard that it can’t stand up again.”

Mr. Trump dispatched the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the region last month following Iran’s brutal crackdown on protesters. Since then, he has repeatedly threatened to launch military strikes against Iran if it fails to reach a diplomatic solution to its nuclear program.

However, Mr. Trump has since insisted that he would rather have Iran agree to a deal. Mr. Trump on Monday once again called on Iran to make a deal with the U.S. and said he would be at least “indirectly” involved in ongoing negotiations.

Several Middle Eastern countries, including U.S. partners Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have expressed concern about the outsized impact that any U.S. military action against Iran could have on the region.

Iran has strongly asserted that it would aggressively respond to any U.S. military strike, and the U.S. personnel in the region would be legitimate targets. The Middle East hosts at least 19 U.S. military sites and at least 40,000 troops.

 • Mike Glenn and Tom Howell Jr. contributed to this report.