Araghchi: Second Round Brings Hope, Yet Questions Linger
2/17/2026 4:10:00 PM
The second round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States concluded in Geneva.
According to the Iranian news agency ISNA, the indirect negotiations involved U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and lasted approximately three hours.
After the talks, Araghchi said, “We have reached an understanding on the main principles with the U.S. There are positive developments compared to the previous round. Both sides will work on two versions of a potential agreement and exchange them. There are still issues that need to be addressed. This does not mean we will reach an agreement soon, but the process has begun.”
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran’s main demand in this round is the full lifting of sanctions and discussions on building confidence in its peaceful nuclear program.
The negotiations took place while Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for live-fire military exercises.
According to the Iranian news agency ISNA, the indirect negotiations involved U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and lasted approximately three hours.
After the talks, Araghchi said, “We have reached an understanding on the main principles with the U.S. There are positive developments compared to the previous round. Both sides will work on two versions of a potential agreement and exchange them. There are still issues that need to be addressed. This does not mean we will reach an agreement soon, but the process has begun.”
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran’s main demand in this round is the full lifting of sanctions and discussions on building confidence in its peaceful nuclear program.
The negotiations took place while Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for live-fire military exercises.