Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Geneva talks ends but ‘will resume soon’, says Oman foreign minister

Iran-US Tensions Highlights: Tensions between Washington and Tehran are at a critical junction today as diplomatic breakthroughs in Europe collide with escalating rhetoric from the White House. While US President Donald Trump recently claimed in his State of the Union address that Iran would “soon” possess missiles capable of striking the American homeland, new reports suggest a significant disconnect between the administration’s stance and the intelligence community. ## What are the key developments today? Intelligence discrepancy: Sources familiar with US intelligence confirm that a 2025 Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment remains unchanged, estimating that Iran is likely a decade away, until 2035, from developing a “militarily viable” ICBM. Geneva ‘progress’: Following “long and intensive” talks in Switzerland, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reported significant movement on nuclear constraints and sanctions relief. The negotiations were facilitated by Omani mediator Badr Albusaidi. IAEA oversight: IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi was present for technical sessions in Geneva, providing a layer of international verification to the ongoing dialogue. What’s next? In a high-stakes move, Omani FM Albusaidi is scheduled to meet with Vice President JD Vance in Washington today, Friday, February 27, in a bid to prevent a “maximum pressure” campaign from turning into a kinetic conflict. The disparity between the White House’s “immediate threat” narrative and the DIA’s 2035 timeline has cast doubt on the immediate justification for military strikes. However, the Trump administration remains firm; White House spokesperson Anna Kelly emphasised that the mere pursuit of such technology by a regime that chants “death to America” is a “grave concern” regardless of the operational date. Our Global Desk is verifying reports of maritime movement in the Strait of Hormuz and monitoring live statements from US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Stay tuned for real-time alerts, satellite imagery analysis, and diplomatic breakthroughs. At least five embassies in Iran evacuated their staff from Tehran, including those of Argentina, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ukraine and Iceland, according to Al-Monitor. FBI said on Friday to partnering federally and internationally to return Americans held in Iran and prosecute captors, following US designation of Iran as State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. "Today, the U.S. has designated Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. The FBI remains committed to working with our federal and international partners to return Americans who are being held captive home and bring their captors to justice. The Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell (HRFC) coordinates efforts dedicated to recovering Americans held hostage abroad and supporting the hostages and their families during and after release," FBI official account posted on X. > Today, the U.S. has designated Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. The #fbi remains committed to working with our federal and international partners to return Americans who are being held captive home and bring their captors to justice. The Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell… pic.twitter.com/fRCnyXutsA— FBI (@FBI) February 27, 2026 Today, the U.S. has designated Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. The #fbi remains committed to working with our federal and international partners to return Americans who are being held captive home and bring their captors to justice. The Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell… pic.twitter.com/fRCnyXutsA US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Israel on Monday to discuss US policy priorities including Iran, Lebanon, and efforts to implement President Donald Trump’s 20 Point Plan in Gaza, the United States Department of State spokesperson said on Friday. > .@SecRubio will travel to Israel from March 2-3 to discuss a range of U.S. policy priorities including Iran, Lebanon, and ongoing efforts to implement the President’s 20 Point Plan in Gaza.— Tommy Pigott (@StateDeputySpox) February 27, 2026 .@SecRubio will travel to Israel from March 2-3 to discuss a range of U.S. policy priorities including Iran, Lebanon, and ongoing efforts to implement the President’s 20 Point Plan in Gaza. President Trump has said he is not happy with Iran in the wake of the latest talks on its nuclear programme, but said he had not yet decided whether to attack the country. "I'm not happy with the fact that they're not willing to give us what we have to have. So I'm not thrilled," Trump said in his first comments on negotiations in Geneva that broke up on Thursday without a deal. The US president stressed that he did not want to use military force against Iran, but said sometimes "you have to". Concern over the prospect of US strikes against Iran led a number of countries to issue warnings to their citizens in the region on Friday. Oman’s foreign minister held a series of phone calls with his counterparts in Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain to brief them on the "positive" outcomes of Iran-US talks and stress the need to "sustain diplomatic momentum toward de-escalation and regional stability", Muscat said on Friday after the Omani foreign minister's meeting with JD Vance in Washington DC. President Trump speaking in Texas on Friday said the US faces a major decision on Iran amid ongoing nuclear talks, emphasizing the need for a "meaningful" deal rather than a weak one. "We have a very big decision to make," Trump said. "We have a country that's in 47 years blowing people's legs off, arms off the face. They've been knocking out ships, killing people, lots of people, not only Americans, lots of people been terrible. 32,000 people killed over the last two, three months, protesters, 32,000." > Trump on Iran:We have a very big decision to make.Not easy. pic.twitter.com/stReZfI9Hd— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 27, 2026 Trump on Iran:We have a very big decision to make.Not easy. pic.twitter.com/stReZfI9Hd Iran has agreed to give up its stockpile of enriched uranium and allow full verification by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its nuclear program, according to Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who is mediating US-Iran talks. This breakthrough deal would mean Iran would "never possess nuclear material capable of producing a bomb," Albusaidi said, adding that existing stockpiles would be down-blended to a neutral level and converted into fuel. The agreement focuses on zero accumulation and full verification, making the enrichment debate less relevant. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make a quick trip to Israel early next week as tensions between the United States and Iran soar amid a massive build-up of US forces in the Middle East, the State Department said Friday. The department said in a statement that Rubio would visit Israel on Monday and Tuesday to “discuss a range of regional priorities including Iran, Lebanon, and ongoing efforts to implement President Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan for Gaza.” It offered no other details. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Rasoul Falahati, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s representative in Gilan province in northern Iran, said on Friday that the United States fears Iran’s resilience and its cyber, drone and missile capabilities, and warned of a tougher response if it takes action. “If the enemy makes a mistake, we will give them a lesson harsher than the 12-day war,” he said, according to state media. Falahati added that Israel fears war more than others because it knows "it would face difficult conditions" in any conflict. (Iran International) Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Britain said it had temporarily withdrawn its staff from Iran citing ⁠the ​security situation in the region, according to a news report by Reuters. Britain's foreign office said its ‌ability to ​assist British ​nationals ​was now extremely limited, ​with the embassy operating ⁠remotely and no in-person consular support ‌available even ⁠in emergencies. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Iran has not allowed the United Nations nuclear watchdog to access nuclear facilities affected by the 12-day war in June, according to a confidential report by the watchdog circulated to member states and seen Friday by The Associated Press. The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency stressed that, therefore, it “cannot verify whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities,” or the “size of Iran’s uranium stockpile at the affected nuclear facilities." The IAEA also reported that it had observed, through the analysis of commercially available satellite imagery, “regular vehicular activity around the entrance to the tunnel complex at Isfahan". The facility in Isfahan, some 350 kilometres (215 miles) southeast of Tehran, was mainly known for producing the uranium gas that is fed into centrifuges to be spun and purified. Israel has struck buildings at the Isfahan nuclear site, among them a uranium conversion facility. The US also struck Isfahan with missiles during the war last June. The IAEA also reported that through the analysis of commercially-available satellite imagery, it has observed “activities being conducted at some of the affected nuclear facilities, including the enrichment facilities at Natanz and Fordow", but it added that “without access to these facilities, it is not possible for the Agency to confirm the nature and the purpose of the activities.” Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Some of Iran’s most highly enriched uranium, enriched to up to 60% purity, was stored in an underground area at its nuclear site in Isfahan, the UN nuclear watchdog said in a confidential report seen by news agency Reuters Friday. It is the first time the International Atomic Energy Agency has specified where uranium enriched to that level, close to weapons grade, has been kept. The entrance to the tunnel complex was hit in US and Israeli military strikes in June, diplomats said, but the underground facility appears to have remained largely unharmed. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: At least nine US Air Force refuelling aircraft arrived overnight at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, according to footage and analysts tracking open-source flight data, the Times of Israel reported. The report said there are now at least 14 US refuelling tankers at the airport, as part of a broader US military buildup in the region. It added that 11 F-22 stealth fighter jets and support aircraft landed this week at Ovda Airbase in southern Israel. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: A senior Iranian cleric said Friday that war would be the next option if negotiations fail, as indirect talks with the US continue. Lotfollah Dezhkam, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s representative in Fars province, said “not every negotiation necessarily leads to a result. If negotiations do not succeed, the next option, which is war, is on our table,” according to Iranian state media. He said Iran speaks “from a position of power” and that negotiations only make sense if the other side understands the consequences of war. “No one says we want to solve the issue only through negotiation, but talks are held to complete the argument,” he added. (Iran International) Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Ahmad Khatami, a senior Iranian cleric, said Friday Iran will never accept a suspension of uranium enrichment, as indirect talks with the United States continue. Khatami, Tehran’s Friday prayer leader, referred to US President Donald Trump as the “contemporary Pharaoh” and said he seeks to impose his views by force, the state media reported. “But the Iranian nation will not bow to force. The Islamic Republic has never accepted suspension of enrichment and will not accept it. Raising the issue of suspending enrichment is impossible,” Khatami was quoted as saying. He added that in the event of a conflict, “the result will be in favour of the side of truth,” and said Iranians would prefer “death with dignity” over “life with humiliation.” (Iran International) Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told staff at the US Embassy in Jerusalem Friday that anyone who wants to leave the country should do so right away because of safety concerns, The New York Times reported. In an email sent at 10:24 am local time, Huckabee wrote that those wishing to depart “should do so TODAY” and encouraged them to book seats on outgoing flights from Ben-Gurion Airport as quickly as possible. He also noted that the embassy has moved to an “authorised departure” status, which lets nonessential staff and their families leave at government expense, a precautionary step taken after discussions with the State Department. Huckabee added there was “no need to panic” but stressed it was wise to plan to leave “sooner rather than later.” This alert comes amid increasing tensions over a potential U.S. strike on Iran, with concerns that Tehran or its allies could retaliate if military action occurs. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: As wounded anti-government protesters poured into an Iranian hospital during last month’s crackdown, a young doctor hurried to the emergency room to help treat a man in his 40s who had been shot in the head at close range. When the doctor and others tried to resuscitate the man, a group of armed, plainclothes security agents blocked their way, pushing some back with their rifles, the doctor told The Associated Press. “They surrounded him and didn’t allow us to move further,” the doctor in the northern city of Rasht said. Minutes later, the man was dead. The agents put his body in a black body bag. Later, they piled it and other bodies into the back of a van and drove away. This wasn't an isolated incident. Over the course of a few days in early January, plainclothes agents swarmed hospitals in multiple cities treating the thousands wounded by Iranian security forces who fired on crowds to quash massive protests against the 47-year-old Islamic Republic. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: A senior spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces said US troops and equipment would be destroyed in the event of any conflict. Abolfazl Shekarchi made the comments after Trump said the United States would not allow what he called “the world’s largest sponsor of terrorism” to obtain a nuclear weapon. “In the event of any conflict, American soldiers and their equipment will be destroyed,” Shekarchi said. He added that any “foolish action” by the United States could ignite a broad fire in the region. (Iran International) Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Hospitals across Israel are implementing new preparedness measures amid fears of a potential war with Iran, Ynet reported, citing internal Health Ministry documents. The directives, circulated to medical facilities in recent days, review shortcomings identified in June and outline recommendations for a future conflict scenario. They emphasise safeguarding patient privacy, strengthening support for medical staff and minimising infection risks in overcrowded wards. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: The targeted strikes on Iran being considered by the Trump administration would probably be aimed at nuclear and missile sites in the country. But the president has yet to specify, to either the American people or the troops who would carry out his orders, exactly what he wants this military engagement to accomplish. In his State of the Union speech Tuesday, President Donald Trump appeared to suggest a goal — that Iran needs to say the “secret words” that it will never have a nuclear weapon. But Iran has already essentially made that promise, even if it has enriched enough uranium to make intelligence officials scoff. US officials say they doubt that Iran is ready to make a deal, but that the strategy behind targeted strikes would be to force its leaders to make concessions. (Read here) Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, who oversees American forces in the Middle East as head of US Central Command, briefed President Donald Trump on Thursday on potential military options relating to Iran, according to a person close to the president, reported ABC News. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the president’s senior military adviser, was also present at the White House meeting, a second person familiar with the discussions said. The high-level briefing took place on Thursday following US and Iran indirect talks in Geneva concerning Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Neither side announced that an agreement had been reached following the discussions. However, Iran’s foreign minister said progress had been made and indicated that “technical talks” would resume in Vienna, Austria, next week. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: US President Donald Trump's claim that Iran will soon have a missile that can hit the United States is not backed by US. intelligence reports and appears ⁠to ​be exaggerated, according to three sources familiar with intelligence reports, casting doubt on part ​of his ​case for a possible ⁠attack on the Islamic Republic. In his State of ‌the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump began making his case to the American public for why the US could launch ⁠strikes against ⁠Iran, saying Tehran was “working on missiles that ⁠will soon ‌reach” the ​United States. But there have ‌been no changes, two sources said, to an unclassified ‌2025 US ​Defense ​Intelligence ​Agency assessment that Iran could take until 2035 ​to develop a "militarily viable intercontinental ⁠ballistic missile" (ICBM) from its existing satellite-lofting space-launch vehicles (SLV). Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: The United States and Iran made progress in talks over Tehran's nuclear program on Thursday, mediator Oman said, but hours of negotiation ended with no sign of a breakthrough that could avert potential US strikes amid a massive military buildup. The two sides plan to resume negotiations soon after consultations in their countries' capitals, with technical-level discussions scheduled to take place next week in Vienna, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X after the day's meetings in Switzerland. > We have finished the day after significant progress in the negotiation between the United States and Iran. We will resume soon after consultation in the respective capitals. Discussions on a technical level will take place next week in Vienna. I am grateful to all concerned for…— Badr Albusaidi - بدر البوسعيدي (@badralbusaidi) February 26, 2026 We have finished the day after significant progress in the negotiation between the United States and Iran. We will resume soon after consultation in the respective capitals. Discussions on a technical level will take place next week in Vienna. I am grateful to all concerned for… Badr Albusaidi will hold talks with US Vice President JD Vance and other US officials in Washington on Friday, MS NOW reported late on Thursday. Neither the White House nor Oman's embassy in Washington immediately responded to requests for comment. Any substantial move toward an elusive agreement between longtime foes Washington and Tehran could reduce the imminent prospects for ⁠US President ​Donald Trump to carry out a threatened attack on Iran that many fear could escalate into a wider war. But Tuesday's indirect talks wrapped up without a deal, still leaving the region on edge. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: The Government of Canada has urged Canadians in Iran to leave the country if they can do so safely, warning that hostilities in the region could resume with little or no notice. In updated travel advice, Ottawa said the security situation remains volatile and could deteriorate rapidly. Canadians who are unable to depart are advised to ensure their travel documents are up to date and to maintain adequate supplies in case they are required to shelter in place. Officials have also asked citizens to register or update their details through the Registration of Canadians Abroad service to receive timely updates, and to encourage other Canadians in Iran to do the same. > Canadians in #iran: Due to ongoing tensions, hostilities in the region could resume with little or no warning. Leave Iran now if you can do so safely. Ensure travel documents are up-to-date and keep sufficient supplies in case you need to shelter in place. https://t.co/99clK5kSni pic.twitter.com/iXRkehdB5b— Travel.gc.ca (@TravelGoC) February 26, 2026 Canadians in #iran: Due to ongoing tensions, hostilities in the region could resume with little or no warning. Leave Iran now if you can do so safely. Ensure travel documents are up-to-date and keep sufficient supplies in case you need to shelter in place. https://t.co/99clK5kSni pic.twitter.com/iXRkehdB5b Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: The targeted strikes on Iran being considered by the Trump administration would probably be aimed at nuclear and missile sites in the country. But the president has yet to specify, to either the American people or the troops who would carry out his orders, exactly what he wants this military engagement to accomplish. In his State of the Union speech Tuesday, President Donald Trump appeared to suggest a goal — that Iran needs to say the “secret words” that it will never have a nuclear weapon. But Iran has already essentially made that promise, even if it has enriched enough uranium to make intelligence officials scoff. Read the full story here. Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) said on Thursday he does not trust Iran and believes a nuclear deal is unlikely, warning that extraordinary measures may be needed to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “I don't trust that regime, because every time that we make a deal with them, they're always somehow breaking it,” Gimenez told Fox News. “They get some kind of monetary reward. It breathes new life into the regime, and they just keep doing exactly what they've been doing all along. They want to attain a nuclear weapon.” > The Iranian regime threatens freedom and stability. We must stand firm and never appease dictators.#iran #freedom #nationalsecurity #peacethroughstrength #standwithiran pic.twitter.com/kdFooCwT3x— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) February 26, 2026 The Iranian regime threatens freedom and stability. We must stand firm and never appease dictators.#iran #freedom #nationalsecurity #peacethroughstrength #standwithiran pic.twitter.com/kdFooCwT3x US Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that the United States would not become entangled in another prolonged Middle East war, while leaving both diplomatic and military options open regarding Iran. “The idea that we're going to be in a Middle Eastern war for years with no end in sight - there is no chance that will happen,” Vance cited by The Washington Post. “I think we all prefer the diplomatic option. But it really depends on what the Iranians do and what they say,” he added. Vance also cautioned against drawing the wrong lessons from past conflicts. “I do think we have to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past,” he said, referring to the Iraq war. “I also think that we have to avoid overlearning the lessons of the past. Just because one president screwed up a military conflict doesn’t mean we can never engage in military conflict again. We’ve got to be careful about it, but I think the president is being careful.” Iran's FM Abbas Araghchi says third round of indirect talks with US in Geneva was "one of the most serious and longest rounds", with progress made on nuclear and sanctions issues. Technical teams to meet in Vienna on Monday to develop framework for addressing technical issues. > Remarks by Iran’s FM Abbas Araghchi after conclusion of third round of Iran-US negotiations in Geneva: 🔹 Today was one of the most serious and longest rounds of talks. We had nearly four hours in the morning and over two hours in the afternoon. The negotiations were indirect,… https://t.co/PwLaza35vQ— Foreign Ministry, Islamic Republic of Iran (@IRIMFA_EN) February 26, 2026 Remarks by Iran’s FM Abbas Araghchi after conclusion of third round of Iran-US negotiations in Geneva: 🔹 Today was one of the most serious and longest rounds of talks. We had nearly four hours in the morning and over two hours in the afternoon. The negotiations were indirect,… https://t.co/PwLaza35vQ "The presence of the United States military in the region is part of psychological warfare and bullying," Iran’s armed forces spokesman said on Thursday. "If Washington understood the real capabilities of Iran’s armed forces, it would never speak of war," Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said. “In the event of any conflict, American soldiers and their equipment would be destroyed, and US resources and interests in the region would come under fire from Iran’s armed forces,” he added. He described remarks by President Donald Trump as “boastful rhetoric,” saying Iran’s military is fully monitoring enemy movements with complete readiness. The United States and Iran held a high-stakes third round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva Thursday, February 26, as President Donald Trump intensified pressure by deploying aircraft carriers and warplanes across the Middle East, raising fears that diplomacy could give way to conflict. The talks, mediated by Oman, come at a delicate moment, with Washington seeking curbs on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, while Iran insists it will not abandon uranium enrichment, even after recent military strikes damaged parts of its programme. Read the full story here. US-Iran nuclear negotiations on Thursday ended without a deal, though both sides made small adjustments to their initial positions, signaling that discussions remain serious despite low expectations for rapid progress, CNN reported. The limited shifts were seen as a signal that negotiations are serious, though expectations remain low for quick progress, the report said. Senate Republicans said that Iran should never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, posting on X. > Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) February 27, 2026 Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) said on Thursday he does not trust Iran and believes a nuclear deal is unlikely, warning that extraordinary measures may be needed to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “I don't trust that regime, because every time that we make a deal with them, they're always somehow breaking it,” Gimenez told Fox News. “They get some kind of monetary reward. It breathes new life into the regime, and they just keep doing exactly what they've been doing all along. They want to attain a nuclear weapon.” Asked what action the United States should take in the meantime, Gimenez outlined a series of military steps. “I would replicate that same thing that the Israelis did when they took out a bunch of their nuclear scientists in their own home, and decapitate the head of the snake — and that is the regime itself,” he said. “But I'm not the president of the United States.” > The Iranian regime threatens freedom and stability. We must stand firm and never appease dictators.#iran #freedom #nationalsecurity #peacethroughstrength #standwithiran pic.twitter.com/kdFooCwT3x— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) February 26, 2026 The Iranian regime threatens freedom and stability. We must stand firm and never appease dictators.#iran #freedom #nationalsecurity #peacethroughstrength #standwithiran pic.twitter.com/kdFooCwT3x Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Thursday urged against any sanctions relief for Iran, saying funds provided to Tehran would fuel its proxy groups and ballistic missile program rather than benefit its people. “We can’t allow any sanctions relief for Iran. Any money the regime receives won’t relieve their people. It will go directly to their terror proxies and ballistic missile program,” Haley posted on X. > We can’t allow any sanctions relief for Iran. Any money the regime receives won’t relieve their people, it will go directly to their terror proxies and ballistic missile program.— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 26, 2026 We can’t allow any sanctions relief for Iran. Any money the regime receives won’t relieve their people, it will go directly to their terror proxies and ballistic missile program. Representative Randy Fine (R-FL) shared an image on X on Thursday saying "Make Persia Great Again," echoing Trump's MAGA slogan. > pic.twitter.com/WlhU548CaO— Congressman Randy Fine (@RepFine) February 26, 2026 pic.twitter.com/WlhU548CaO Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva have concluded for the day after “significant progress,” Oman’s foreign minister said, adding that negotiations will resume soon following consultations in the respective capitals. The discussions, mediated by Oman, are expected to continue after both sides review the proposals at home, the minister said. > #breaking The US delegation just left the venue of talks with Iran in Geneva, according to Iran's state TV correspondent."The talks have ended." pic.twitter.com/eVBD0K6atT— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) February 26, 2026 #breaking The US delegation just left the venue of talks with Iran in Geneva, according to Iran's state TV correspondent."The talks have ended." pic.twitter.com/eVBD0K6atT Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, advisers to US President Donald Trump, were left disappointed after their meeting with Iran’s foreign minister during the morning round of talks, Axios reported, citing a source familiar with the discussions. The report did not specify what aspects of the Iranian position prompted the reaction. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: US Representative Pat Fallon told Fox News that “all options are on the table” to deal with the Iranian regime if it does not stop enriching uranium and backing terrorism. He added that Iran’s leadership should understand that what he described as the “appeasement” approach of the Obama-Biden era is over. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Iran’s delegation has returned to the venue for talks with the United States in Geneva after a brief pause, according to footage aired by Iranian state media. The negotiations, which began earlier in the morning, were temporarily halted to allow both sides to consult with their respective capitals, Iran’s foreign ministry said. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: The US is moving to sever a small Swiss bank from access to the US financial system for its alleged support for Iranian and Russian actors, as US and Iranian officials hold indirect talks Thursday in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear negotiations. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network proposed a federal regulation Thursday that, if finalised, would prohibit US institutions from doing business with MBaer Merchant Bank AG, which has no relation to the larger Swiss bank Julius Baer. The bank is accused of funneling over $100 million through the US financial system on behalf of criminals out of Iran and Russia. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: A fire broke ⁠out ​at an industrial ​complex in ​Iran's ⁠southern city of ‌Abadan, state media reported ⁠⁠Thursday, ⁠saying ‌initial reports ​indicate ‌the incident took ‌place ​at ​a ​plastic ​raw materials ⁠factory. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: “We are closely monitoring developments around Iran and the actions of the regime that supports Russia’s war and supplied Russia with ‘Shahed’ drones for terror against Ukrainians,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X after a phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: US President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford for a second time, sending it toward the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran, is reportedly taking a growing toll on sailors and their families. The Ford, the Navy’s newest and most expensive aircraft carrier, has been at sea since June last year. Originally scheduled for a Mediterranean mission, it was rerouted in October to the Caribbean to support oil-tanker seizures and US operations targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Report the full report here. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva were halted due to Washington’s insistence on “zero enrichment” and the transfer of all uranium enriched to 60 per cent to the United States, Iran International reported, citing an Iranian diplomatic source. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Gold prices held steady Thursday as investors stayed on the sidelines ahead of the third round of indirect US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva, hoping for signals on whether the negotiations could ease ⁠geopolitical ​risks. Spot gold was down 0.1% at $5,165.77 per ounce at 9:19 am ET (1419 GMT). US gold futures for April delivery were down 0.8% at $5,182.10. "Gold and silver are attempting to break above resistance levels at $5,200 and $90 but have failed to sustain ​gains ​so far this week, raising drawdown risks should ⁠a near-term geopolitical deal materialize," Razan Hilal, market analyst at FOREX.com, said in a note. Iran signalled flexibility in indirect nuclear ‌talks with the US in Geneva on Thursday, held amid rising pressure on Tehran to reach a deal as Washington ramps up its military presence in the Middle East. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of spokesperson Iran Esmail Baghaei said nuclear talks with the United States in Geneva were conducted in an “intense and serious” manner and will resume around 18:00 Geneva time. Speaking to state television, Baghaei said Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi was also present at the talks. He said both delegations needed to consult with their respective capitals before negotiations restart later in the day. > Iranian protesters demonstrated against the Islamic Republic outside the United Nations Office in Geneva on Thursday as a new round of US-Iran talks took place in the Swiss city, waving pre-Islamic Republic Lion and Sun flags and holding pictures of exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi. pic.twitter.com/HT25zy2TQa— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) February 26, 2026 Iranian protesters demonstrated against the Islamic Republic outside the United Nations Office in Geneva on Thursday as a new round of US-Iran talks took place in the Swiss city, waving pre-Islamic Republic Lion and Sun flags and holding pictures of exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi. pic.twitter.com/HT25zy2TQa Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: A senior Iranian official said Thursday’s talks with the United States in Geneva were “intense and serious", according to Reuters, noting that fresh proposals emerged during the negotiations that will need further consultation in Tehran. While differences persist between the two sides, the official said a framework agreement could be within reach if Washington “seriously separates nuclear and non-nuclear issues". Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said US and Iranian negotiators have adjourned for a break during talks in Geneva and will resume later Thursday. “We’ve been exchanging creative and positive ideas in Geneva today, and now both US and Iranian negotiators have adjourned for a break,” Albusaidi said on X. “We’ll resume later today. We hope to make more progress.” Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Iran lawmaker Abolfazl Zohrevand said the latest round of negotiations between Iran and the United States is unlikely to end well, citing recent remarks by President Donald Trump. “Given the course of events so far, and especially Trump’s two-hour speech in Congress, it seems the negotiations will not have a good outcome,” Zohrevand, a member of parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, said, according to Iranian media. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has joined the latest round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva as a technical observer, Iranian state media reported. Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Negotiators from Iran and the United states are holding talks over Tehran's nuclear programme in Geneva, Switzerland. US–Iran Talks Live Updates: Iran’s FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi meets Omani counterpart in Geneva US–Iran Talks Live Updates: Oman on Thursday (Feb 26), said that it has received “views and proposals” from Iran on the ongoing nuclear talks. In a statement on the state-run Oman News Agency, it said Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi received the information in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Al-Busaidi “is expected to meet with the American negotiating team this morning to convey the Iranian perspective and, in turn, listen to the ideas and proposals put forward by the American side,” said the agency. US–Iran Talks Live Updates: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday reiterated the country's opposition to developing nuclear weapons. He stated that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has banned weapons of mass destruction, which "clearly ⁠means ​Tehran won't develop nuclear weapons". Khamenei, ​who has ‌the last say on ‌Tehran's ​nuclear programme, ​banned ​the development of nuclear ​weapons in a ⁠fatwa, or religious decree, in ‌the ⁠early 2000s. US–Iran Talks Live Updates: Iran and the United States prepared to meet Thursday in Geneva for nuclear negotiations, talks viewed as a last chance for diplomacy as America has gathered a fleet of aircraft and warships to the Middle East to pressure Tehran into a deal. U.S. President Donald Trump wants a deal to constrain Iran’s nuclear program, and he sees an opportunity while the country is struggling at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests last month. Iran meanwhile has maintained it wants to continue to enrich uranium even as its program sits in ruins following Trump ordering an attack in June on three of the Islamic Republic's nuclear sites. If an American attack happens, Iran has said all U.S. military bases in the Mideast would be considered legitimate targets, putting at risk tens of thousands of American service members. Iran has also threatened to attack Israel following a bruising 12-day war last year, meaning a regional war again could erupt across the Middle East. US–Iran Talks Live Updates: Senior adviser to US President Donald Trump prefer that Israel attack Iran before Washington launches airstrikes on the country, according to a report by Politico. “There’s thinking in and around the administration that the politics are a lot better if the Israelis go first and alone and the Iranians retaliate against us, and give us more reason to take action,” says one of the sources quoted in the report. US–Iran Talks Live Updates: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is making attempts to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles and warned that Tehran must negotiate on its missile program. “I would say that the Iranian insistence on not discussing ballistic missiles is a big, big problem,” Rubio told reporters. US–Iran Talks Live Updates: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Geneva on Wednesday evening for the third round of indirect nuclear talks with the United States, hosted by the foreign minister of Oman. The official handle of Iran's Foreign Ministry in a post on X said, "The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Geneva on Wednesday evening at the head of a political and technical delegation to conduct nuclear negotiations. The third round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the US will be held on Thursday, hosted by the foreign minister of Oman. The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is scheduled to meet tonight with the Foreign Minister of Oman, Badr Al Busaidi, to outline and explain Iran’s positions and views in both areas of sanctions removal and nuclear issues." > Iranian FM arrives in Geneva for #nucleartalks with US The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Geneva on Wednesday evening at the head of a political and technical delegation to conduct nuclear negotiations. The third round of… pic.twitter.com/Ie24o08HAS— Foreign Ministry, Islamic Republic of Iran (@IRIMFA_EN) February 25, 2026 Iranian FM arrives in Geneva for #nucleartalks with US The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Geneva on Wednesday evening at the head of a political and technical delegation to conduct nuclear negotiations. The third round of… pic.twitter.com/Ie24o08HAS US–Iran Talks Live Updates: US President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford for a second time, sending it toward the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran, is reportedly taking a growing toll on sailors and their families. The Ford, the Navy’s newest and most expensive aircraft carrier, has been at sea since June last year. Originally scheduled for a Mediterranean mission, it was rerouted in October to the Caribbean to support oil-tanker seizures and US operations targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, The Wall Street Journal reported. Read full story here US–Iran Talks Live Updates: The United States and Iran are set to hold the latest round of talks in Geneva, Switzerland on Thursday to resolve their longstanding dispute over Tehran's nuclear program. The indirect talks will be attended by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and US Special Envoy Steve ⁠Witkoff ​with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, news agency Reuters reported citing US official. US–Iran Talks Live Updates: US Vice President JD Vance, ahead of the key US-Iran talks in Geneva, told Tehran that it should take Washington's threat of military action "seriously". He said that while President Donald Trump prefers to try and get Iran to make a deal "diplomatically," POTUS had the "right" to use military action. "You can't let the craziest and worst regime in the world have nuclear weapons," Vance told "America's Newsroom" on Fox News. "The president has a number of other tools at his disposal to ensure this doesn't happen," he said. "He's shown a willingness to use them, and I hope the Iranians take it seriously in the negotiations tomorrow because that's certainly what the president prefers."