GENEVA: The US and Iran hold indirect talks in Geneva on Tuesday aimed at resolving their long-running nuclear dispute, with little clear indication of compromise as Washington masses a battle force in the region.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will take part in the negotiations, which the Sultanate of Oman is mediating, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters, alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Yet the US military is simultaneously preparing for the possibility of weeks of operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two US officials told Reuters.
President Donald Trump on Monday warned Iran of the 'consequences of not making a deal' ahead of talks between the United States and the Islamic Republic in Geneva this week.
"I'll be involved in those talks, indirectly," the US president told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Washington. "They want to make a deal... I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal."
Iran itself began a military drill on Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international waterway and oil export route from Gulf states.
Tehran and Washington renewed negotiations on February 6 on their decades-long dispute.
Washington and Israel believe Iran aspires to build a nuclear weapon that could threaten Israel's existence. Iran says its nuclear programme is purely peaceful, even though it has enriched uranium far beyond the purity needed for power generation, and close to what is required for a bomb.
Tehran is acutely aware that a previous attempt to revive talks was underway in June last year when Washington's ally Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran, and was then joined by U.S. bombers that struck nuclear targets.
Tehran has since stated that it has halted uranium enrichment activities.
Unlike last time, the U.S. has now placed what Trump calls a massive naval armada in the region.
Washington has sought to expand the scope of talks to non-nuclear issues such as Iran's missile stockpile.
Tehran says it is willing only to discuss curbs on its nuclear programme - in exchange for sanctions relief - and that it will not give up uranium enrichment completely or discuss its missile programme.
Markets
Oil prices were in focus on Tuesday as Trump ramped up threats towards Iran, shaking up markets subdued by holidays in Asia and the United States.
West Texas Intermediate was up more than one percent, nearing $64 per barrel, while Brent eased slightly to just under $69. Gold slid below $5,000 per ounce, while silver dropped four percent.
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