US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held a critical round of negotiations regarding the Iranian nuclear program in Geneva. The White House has put forward strict demands amidst pressure from administration hawks and congressional Republicans warning against any concessions to Tehran.
As reported by Hvylya, citing The Wall Street Journal and Axios, the talks mark a significant escalation in diplomatic efforts.
According to sources, American negotiators made it clear: Iran must dismantle its three main nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Additionally, Tehran is obligated to hand over all existing enriched uranium to the US. Washington also insists that any new agreement must be indefinite and should not include sunset clauses that lift restrictions over time, unlike the Obama-era deal.
These demands follow Donald Trump's warning in his State of the Union address that Iran continues to seek nuclear weapons. The US President threatened military action if diplomacy fails, having already concentrated a powerful force of two aircraft carriers and air power in the region.
Iran, in turn, insists on its right to enrich uranium but has offered counter-proposals to appease the US. Options reportedly include lowering enrichment levels to 1.5%, a temporary pause in development, or processing fuel through an Arab-Iranian consortium.
The Geneva talks took place both directly and through the mediation of Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi. A US representative described the negotiations as "positive," though acknowledged persisting disagreements. The parties agreed to continue technical consultations in Vienna next week.
However, domestic political pressure in the US remains a significant obstacle to compromise. Senator Lindsey Graham categorically rejected the idea of allowing Iran even minimal uranium enrichment to "save face."
"If there is a face-saving option on the table to allow Iran to have very small enrichment capability, screw that," Graham stated.
Meanwhile, Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, hinted at the possibility of a deal. He wrote on X that if the main US goal is the absence of an Iranian nuclear bomb, this is "consistent" with Ayatollah Khamenei's fatwa and Iran's defense doctrine.