Iran says US nuclear talks more serious, constructive after Geneva round

GENEVA — Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that “more serious discussions” were held during the latest round of indirect nuclear negotiations with the United States, describing the atmosphere as “more constructive.”Speaking to reporters after the second round of talks in Geneva under Omani mediation, Araghchi said the two sides reached a general agreement on a set of “guiding principles” to serve as a basis for drafting a potential agreement.“It was decided that both sides will work on the drafts of a potential agreement, and after exchanging the texts,” he said, adding that the timing of the next round would be determined later.Araghchi said a clearer path now lies ahead for negotiations with Washington and that the process is “assessed positively” from Iran’s perspective.However, he cautioned that progress does not mean a deal is imminent.“The negotiation process has started, and good progress has been made,” he said, stressing that both sides hold positions “that will take some time to bring closer together.”He noted that no specific date has been set for the next round of talks and that it is still too early to speak of a roadmap.Iranian state media reported that the Geneva talks focused primarily on technical aspects of the nuclear file, including sanctions relief and related legal and economic matters.The two sides exchanged notes on technical issues with the participation of nuclear, legal and economic experts.The Iranian delegation was led by Araghchi, while the US side was headed by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s adviser Jared Kushner.Both delegations held separate meetings with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi at the Omani Embassy before exchanging notes through mediators.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said discussions centered on sanctions removal and technical matters.UN nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi was also present in Geneva, and both sides held separate talks with him, Baghaei said.The first round of negotiations took place in Muscat earlier this month, more than eight months after diplomacy was suspended following the Iran-Israel war last June.A reporter from the state-run IRNA news agency accompanying the Iranian delegation described the talks as “very serious,” saying some general issues were agreed upon and that detailed discussions would continue after consultations in both capitals.