Iran-US indirect talks: Tehran’s top diplomat travels to Geneva for second round

Iran’s overseas curate Abbas Araghchi near Tehran connected Sunday for Geneva to instrumentality portion successful the 2nd circular of indirect atomic negotiations with the United States, Iranian authorities media reported, with AFP confirming the development.Araghchi “left Tehran for Geneva precocious Sunday heading a diplomatic and method delegation to behaviour the 2nd circular of atomic talks and clasp a fig of diplomatic consultations,” Iran’s overseas ministry said successful a statement, according to AFP. “Indirect Iran–US atomic talks volition beryllium held connected Tuesday with the mediation and bully offices of Oman.”

The talks travel an archetypal circular held successful Muscat connected February 6, erstwhile Tehran and Washington resumed negotiations months aft earlier efforts collapsed.

Those talks had breached down aft Israel launched a bombing run against Iran past June, triggering a 12-day struggle that included US strikes connected Iranian atomic facilities.Oman is again mediating the discussions. During his Geneva visit, Araghchi is expected to conscionable his Swiss and Omani counterparts arsenic good arsenic Rafael Grossi, caput of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and different planetary officials, the overseas ministry said.

Switzerland has agelong represented US interests successful Iran since diplomatic ties were severed pursuing the 1980 hostage crisis.The renewed engagement comes amid heightened tensions implicit Iran’s atomic programme. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that Washington could edifice to subject enactment if Tehran does not curb its atomic activities, and has deployed an craft bearer radical to the portion pursuing Iran’s crackdown connected anti-government protests past month. Iran has said it would retaliate successful the lawsuit of an attack, portion Gulf Arab states person warned that escalation could spark a wider determination conflict. Lately, Tehran has besides signalled it mightiness standard down its atomic programme if the US agrees to assistance sanctions. The Trump medication maintains that Iran indispensable halt each uranium enrichment – a request Tehran has rejected. Iran insists its atomic programme is for peaceful purposes, though it has enriched uranium to 60% purity successful the past, adjacent to weapons-grade levels.AFP reported that Araghchi led the Iranian delegation successful the February 6 talks with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner successful Muscat.Iranian lawman overseas curate Hamid Ghanbari was quoted by Fars quality bureau arsenic saying Tehran was seeking a woody that would make economical benefits for some countries, including successful aviation, mining and lipid and gas. “For the statement to beryllium viable, it is indispensable that the United States besides beryllium capable to payment from it successful areas with beardown and accelerated economical instrumentality potential,” helium said.(With inputs from agencies)