‘Good progress’: Iran, US move closer to a nuclear deal after Geneva talks

Indirect talks in Geneva show progress, but gaps remain over Iran’s uranium enrichment and missile programme.

Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi has said that “good progress” has been made in indirect nuclear talks with the United States, as Washington warned that military action remains an option if diplomacy fails.

The talks, mediated by Oman, were held in the Swiss city of Geneva on Tuesday against a backdrop of increased military flexing by both sides in the Gulf region.

“Ultimately, we were able to reach broad agreement on a set of guiding principles, based on which we will move forward and begin working on the text of a potential agreement,” Araghchi told state television after the talks.

“Good progress” has been made, compared with the previous round in Oman earlier this month, he said, adding, “We now have a clear path ahead, which I think is positive.”

He acknowledged that it “will take time to narrow” the gap between the countries, and said that once both sides come up with draft texts for an agreement, “the drafts would be exchanged and a date for a third round [of talks] would be set”.