The outcome could prove pivotal in averting escalation following last year's U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities and amid Tehran's internal challenges.
The Trump administration is gearing up for the next phase of high-stakes negotiations with Iran, scheduled for Tuesday, February 17, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland. A U.S. delegation including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner will lead the American side in indirect talks mediated by Omani representatives, according to sources briefed on the matter and reported by Reuters and other outlets.
This follows the first round of renewed discussions held on February 6 in Muscat, Oman, where Witkoff and Kushner met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Those talks were described as a "good beginning" by Iranian officials and "very good" by President Trump, focusing exclusively on Iran's nuclear program amid heightened regional tensions. No major breakthroughs were announced, but both sides agreed to continue consultations after returning to their capitals.
The Geneva session comes as the U.S. maintains significant military pressure in the Middle East, including the deployment of a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the region alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln. Trump has repeatedly warned that failure to reach a deal curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions and ballistic missile capabilities could lead to "very traumatic" consequences for Tehran, even floating regime change as potentially the "best thing" for Iran. (Ed note: Has anyone thought about this entire situation? We've two real estate developers dealing with the Iran and US, Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Gaza.) (Read More)
