U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will be “indirectly” involved in upcoming nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, which are set to begin in Geneva on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed confidence that Tehran is now open to striking an agreement over its nuclear programme.
The latest round of discussions in Switzerland follows months of escalating tensions, including U.S. military threats tied to Iran’s crackdown on anti-government protests and ongoing disputes over its nuclear activities. On Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry signaled a possible shift in tone, saying it believed Washington’s stance on the nuclear issue had moved toward “a more realistic one”.
Iran has said the Geneva meeting, mediated by Oman, will center on its nuclear programme and the potential removal of U.S. economic sanctions. However, Washington has previously indicated it would also like to address additional concerns, including Iran’s missile capabilities.
Describing the negotiations as “very important”, Trump suggested Iran is motivated to avoid further consequences.
“I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal,” Trump said, adding that Iran experienced the impact of failed diplomacy last summer when U.S. forces bombed Iranian nuclear facilities.
“We could have had a deal instead of sending the B-2s in to knock out their nuclear potential. And we had to send the B-2s,” Trump said, referring to the stealth bombers used in the strikes. “I hope they’re going to be more reasonable.”
Military Build-Up in the Region
The diplomatic push comes alongside a noticeable U.S. military presence in the Middle East. Reports indicate that the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier has been deployed to the region and could arrive within weeks. Additional U.S. destroyers, combat ships, and fighter jets have also been tracked in the area.
Iran has responded with its own show of strength. On Monday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conducted maritime drills in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital waterway for global oil exports located between Oman and Iran.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with the head of the UN nuclear watchdog in Geneva, stating on social media that he was there to “achieve a fair and equitable deal”.
“What is not on the table: submission before threats,” Araqchi said.
The White House confirmed that U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner have been dispatched to participate in the discussions.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that reaching an agreement would not be easy.
“I think that there’s an opportunity here to diplomatically reach an agreement … but I don’t want to overstate it either,” Rubio said during a visit to Hungary. “It’s going to be hard.”
As talks begin in Geneva, both diplomatic engagement and military posturing underscore the high stakes surrounding efforts to resolve the long-running nuclear dispute.
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