Iran-US Tensions News Live Updates: Geneva talks stall as Washington demands zero enrichment, uranium transfer, claims report

Iran-US Tensions Live News Updates: The eyes of the world are on Switzerland today, Thursday, February 26, 2026, as high-stakes indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran resumed. Mediated by Oman, these talks represent a critical attempt to de-escalate tensions following a massive US military buildup in the Middle East and a renewed “maximum pressure” campaign by the Trump administration. As of this afternoon, Omani mediators report an “unprecedented openness to new and creative ideas”, though both sides remain guarded. ## Latest developments: What you need to know Geneva summit: Indirect talks are currently underway at the Omani diplomatic residence. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi is shuttling between the delegations, led by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior advisor Jared Kushner, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. ‘Peaceful’ stance from Tehran: President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated today that Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons, citing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s long-standing religious decree (fatwa) against weapons of mass destruction. The US ‘military tool’: Vice President JD Vance warned that while diplomacy is the preference, the US reserves the “right” to use military action, stating, “You can’t let the worst regime in the world have nuclear weapons.” New economic squeeze: Just yesterday, the US Treasury blacklisted over 30 entities and “shadow fleet” vessels to curb Iran’s missile program and illicit oil sales. IAEA presence: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi has joined the talks as a technical observer, a move experts say could be decisive in verifying Iranian commitments. 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 in Geneva. Stay tuned for real-time alerts, satellite imagery analysis, and diplomatic breakthroughs. 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."