US and Iran Scheduled for Critical Second Round of Nuclear Talks in Geneva Amid Military Buildup
A high-stakes second round of nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran is set to take place in Geneva on Tuesday, February 17, as the Trump administration intensifies its “maximum pressure” campaign. American officials, including Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, are expected to lead the U.S. delegation, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will head Tehran’s team. The talks, mediated by Omani officials, come as President Donald Trump issues a stark ultimatum: any potential agreement must mandate “zero uranium enrichment” within Iran.
The diplomatic push is occurring against a backdrop of escalating military tension. The Pentagon has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, a move designed to reinforce American leverage. Speaking to reporters ahead of the talks, President Trump signaled that patience is running thin, stating, “Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough.” When pressed on the possibility of regime change in Tehran, he remarked that it “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” further raising the stakes for the upcoming dialogue.
Objections and Strategic Deadlocks
Significant obstacles threaten to derail the Geneva sessions before they yield results. The primary point of contention remains the scope of the negotiations. The Trump administration is demanding broad concessions that extend beyond nuclear capabilities to include a halt to Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for regional proxy groups such as Hezbollah and the Houthis. Tehran has categorically rejected these terms, with Iranian officials maintaining that talks must remain strictly limited to the nuclear file.
Furthermore, the demand for zero enrichment is viewed by Iranian hardliners as a non-starter, arguing it infringes on the country’s sovereignty and rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Externally, key U.S. allies have expressed reservations. Israel has reportedly voiced strong opposition to the renewed diplomatic engagement, fearing that prolonged talks could serve as a stalling tactic allowing Iran to covertly advance its nuclear threshold capabilities while avoiding immediate consequences.
Background and Context
These negotiations follow a secretive but “constructive” initial round of indirect talks held in Muscat, Oman, on February 6. The diplomatic channel was reopened following a volatile period in 2025, which saw direct military confrontations, including U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure in June of that year.
The current standoff is rooted in the collapse of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which the U.S. withdrew during Trump’s first term in 2018. Since then, Iran has accelerated its nuclear program, enriching uranium to levels near weapons-grade. The Geneva talks represent a critical juncture to determine whether a diplomatic off-ramp is still viable or if the region is headed toward a renewed and potentially wider conflict.
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