US-Iran nuclear talks to take place this week as Trump says he’s ‘considering’ military strikes

The United States and Iran are set to hold their next round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday, a development confirmed by a facilitator on Sunday, as the Islamic Republic grapples with the dual pressures of potential US military action and fresh anti-government protests at home.

Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, verified the upcoming discussions. The Gulf nation has previously played a crucial role in mediating indirect talks concerning Iran’s nuclear programme, including facilitating the most recent round held in Geneva last week.

There was no immediate comment from the US administration, which has significantly increased its military presence in the Middle East in recent decades, aiming to secure concessions from its long-standing adversary on its nuclear ambitions and other issues.

Shortly before Oman’s announcement, Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, informed CBS in an interview that he anticipated meeting US envoy Steve Witkoff in Geneva on Thursday.

He expressed optimism, stating that a "good chance" for a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear issue still remained. Washington is currently awaiting a proposed deal, which Araghchi indicated would be ready to share within days, though the foreign minister noted that Iran was still finalising the draft proposal. The diplomat reiterated that the nuclear issue remains the sole topic of discussion, despite the US and Israel’s desire to also address Iran’s missile programme and its backing of armed proxy groups across the Middle East.

Warnings of limited strikes against Iran were issued by the US administration on Friday, with both Tehran and Washington signalling their readiness for conflict should the nuclear negotiations falter. Following Oman’s confirmation of the talks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on social media that negotiations had involved "the exchange of practical proposals and yielded encouraging signals," but cautioned that Tehran had "made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario." A key point of contention remains Iran’s right to enrich uranium, which Araghchi asserts, contrasting with the US position that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them, nor enrich uranium.

Araghchi further claimed on Friday that his US counterparts had not demanded zero enrichment during the latest talks, a statement that diverges from public pronouncements by US officials. He added that discussions focused on ensuring Iran’s nuclear programme, including enrichment, "will remain peaceful forever," in exchange for confidence-building measures and relief from economic sanctions. Tehran has consistently maintained that any negotiations must exclusively focus on its nuclear programme, rejecting broader US and Israeli demands to curb its missile development and sever ties with armed groups.

Although Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, the US and other nations suspect it is ultimately aimed at developing weapons. Iran states it has not been enriching uranium since US and Israeli strikes on its nuclear sites in June. At that time, the US administration claimed the strikes had "obliterated" Iran’s nuclear facilities, though the precise extent of the damage remains unknown as Tehran has barred international inspectors. Meanwhile, Araghchi asserted to CBS that "we have a very good capability of missiles, and now we are even in a better situation" than before the June strikes. Nuclear talks had been deadlocked for years following the US administration’s unilateral withdrawal from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.

The confirmation of these new talks coincides with the emergence of fresh anti-government protests across Iran. Witnesses reported university students in Tehran and another city demonstrating around memorials for the thousands killed during a crackdown on previous nationwide demonstrations approximately six weeks ago. Iran’s state news agency reported student protests at five universities in the capital, Tehran, and one in Mashhad on Sunday. These scattered demonstrations began on Saturday, following 40-day memorials for those who died in January during earlier anti-government rallies.

Videos circulated on social media appeared to show confrontations at two universities between government supporters and anti-government protesters, with some demonstrators heard chanting "Death to dictator." The Iranian government has yet to comment on these latest protests. Many Iranians have observed traditional 40-day mourning periods over the past week. Activists tracking the situation believe most of the protesters were killed around 8 and 9 January. Iranians nationwide are still grappling with shock, grief, and fear following the earlier protests, which were met with the deadliest crackdown ever witnessed under the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Thousands were killed, and tens of thousands are thought to have been arrested.

While the crackdown suppressed the largest demonstrations, smaller protests continue to occur, according to activists and social media videos. Historically, during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, 40-day memorials for slain protesters frequently escalated into rallies that security forces attempted to crush, leading to new fatalities, which in turn sparked further 40-day protests. Social media posts on Saturday and Sunday alleged that security forces tried to prevent people from attending some of these memorial ceremonies. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports at least 7,015 people were killed in the previous protests and crackdown, including 214 government forces.

This group, known for its accuracy in counting deaths during past unrest in Iran, relies on a network of activists to verify fatalities. The death toll continues to rise as the group cross-references information despite disrupted communication within the Islamic Republic. In contrast, Iran’s government provided its only death toll from the previous protests on 21 January, stating 3,117 people were killed. The Iranian theocracy has a history of undercounting or not reporting fatalities from past unrest. The Associated Press has been unable to independently verify the death toll due to authorities disrupting internet access and international calls in Iran.