Senior officials from the United States and Iran held six hours of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, but no agreement was reached, according to international media reports. The discussions took place in two sessions on Thursday — one in the morning and another in the evening.
The New York Times reported that the talks were not suspended and that both sides agreed to continue negotiations next week. Iranian officials and Omani mediators said the dialogue will continue in an effort to prevent potential conflict.
Next Round of US–Iran Talks Scheduled in Vienna
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the talks as positive and progressive, saying agreement was reached on some issues while differences remained on others. He confirmed that technical teams will meet Monday at the headquarters of the United Nations nuclear agency in Vienna.
Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who is mediating the negotiations, said there was relative progress. Nuclear, banking and sanctions experts are expected to participate in the Vienna talks, indicating discussions are moving to a technical level.
US Position and Regional Military Presence
The US delegation included Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Witkoff has not publicly commented on the talks, and the White House has not issued an official statement.
The United States has deployed significant naval forces around Iran. President Donald Trump recently gave Iran a 15-day ultimatum to agree to a deal. He has reiterated that Iran must not reach nuclear weapons capability and has demanded a complete halt to uranium enrichment.
Diplomatic sources said Washington is seeking the permanent closure of three underground nuclear facilities — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan — which were damaged during a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June when US forces carried out bombing operations. Trump has stated that the strikes “completely destroyed” Iran’s nuclear program, while some US officials have said the program was only set back by several years.
Key Disputes: Uranium Enrichment, Sanctions and Stockpile
Iran has reaffirmed that under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. Tehran has proposed suspending enrichment while continuing low-level enrichment for medical research. The United States is seeking a permanent ban on enrichment inside Iran, according to sources.
Sanctions relief remains a major point of disagreement. Washington has indicated it may gradually ease sanctions, while Tehran is seeking significant relief on international banking access and oil exports.
Another key issue is approximately 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, which the New York Times reported is believed to be buried under debris following US bombing. Iran has proposed diluting the stockpile, while the United States is demanding that it be removed from Iranian territory. Talks are scheduled to continue next week in Vienna.
