Geneva, Feb 26: Iran and the US kicked off high-stakes nuclear negotiations here today, seen as diplomacy’s final shot before tensions boil over—while America masses aircraft carriers and warships in the Middle East to squeeze Tehran into a deal.
President Donald Trump is pushing hard to cap Iran’s nukes, spotting leverage as the regime reels from last month’s massive protests and the ruins of its program after his June strikes on three key sites during last year’s brutal 12-day war. Iran insists on keeping uranium enrichment alive, despite blocking UN inspectors and showing satellite activity at bombed facilities.
Iran’s FM Abbas Araghchi, fresh off an India Today interview, painted a grim picture: “No victory for anybody—it’d be devastating.” He threatened all US bases as fair game (risking thousands of troops) and even Israel, potentially igniting a regional firestorm. “The whole region would be engulfed,” he warned.
Across the table sits Trump’s real estate buddy and Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, with Oman mediating again after last year’s collapse amid Israel’s Iran strikes. Oman’s FM Badr al-Busaidi, flashing a thumbs-up post-IAEA meet, shuttled Iran’s offer today as US and Iranian convoys rolled into the Lake Geneva diplomatic compound.
Trump wants zero enrichment, plus curbs on Iran’s missiles and proxy militias like Hezbollah. SecState Marco Rubio accused Tehran of secretly rebuilding, noting they’re at 0% now but eyeing weapons-grade (they hit 60% pre-strikes, near the 90% bomb line). VP JD Vance echoed: “Iran cannot have a nuke,” but hinted at military options if talks tank.
Iran calls its program peaceful (West says weapons pursuit ended in 2003), but officials have flirted with bomb threats. Failure risks limited strikes for leverage—or full regime change, spelling chaos. Oil’s climbing ($70 Brent) on fears of Hormuz Strait chokeholds (20% global oil flows through).
US 5th Fleet ships scattered from Bahrain, echoing pre-June war moves. As fleets loom, these talks feel like countdown to catastrophe—or breakthrough.
