Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran are scheduled to resume this week in Geneva, marking what diplomats describe as a pivotal juncture in the fragile effort to revive a deal, as U.S. President Donald Trump openly signals he is prepared to consider military action if diplomacy stalls.
The talks, mediated by Oman, will enter their third round this year. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced that negotiators will convene Thursday in Geneva, expressing hope for “a positive push to go the extra mile toward finalizing the deal.”
The meeting comes just days before what Trump has described as a roughly 10-day window for tangible progress. The president recently warned that “bad things” could happen if negotiations fail, and last week publicly acknowledged he was “considering” a limited strike on Iran, an unusually direct statement that has intensified diplomatic pressure.
Draft Proposal and Internal Divisions
Ahead of the talks, Iran is reportedly preparing a draft proposal for U.S. negotiators. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Tehran is “still working” on the document. However, the proposal has yet to receive formal approval from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, underscoring internal political sensitivities.
The renewed push for a nuclear agreement follows months of heightened tension. Earlier this year, Tehran faced international condemnation over a violent crackdown on anti-government protests, which reportedly resulted in thousands of deaths. In parallel, Washington has reinforced its military presence in the Middle East, deploying additional naval and air assets in what officials describe as both contingency planning and strategic leverage.
Core Disputes Remain
Despite diplomatic engagement, significant gaps persist between the two sides. Iran maintains that it has a sovereign right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and has categorically rejected any demand for a complete halt to enrichment activities. U.S. officials, however, are pressing for a full cessation of enrichment, particularly after reports last year indicated that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile had approached weapons-grade thresholds.
Tehran has also sought to limit the scope of negotiations strictly to its nuclear program, insisting that the discussions exclude its ballistic missile development and regional alliances. Washington along with Israel has argued that a comprehensive agreement should address Iran’s missile capabilities and its support for armed groups across the region.
Araghchi reiterated over the weekend that “there is no other subject” under discussion beyond the nuclear file. At the same time, he signaled openness to establishing a “full monitoring mechanism” for Iran’s nuclear facilities, suggesting that a rapid agreement on nuclear safeguards could still be achievable.
High-Stakes Diplomacy
The resumption of talks in Geneva highlights both the urgency and fragility of the moment. Analysts caution that Trump’s public contemplation of military action may be intended to strengthen Washington’s negotiating hand, but it also raises the risk of miscalculation in an already volatile regional environment.
With positions entrenched and political timelines tightening, the coming days may determine whether the two adversaries can bridge longstanding divides, or whether escalating rhetoric gives way to confrontation.
