Iran-US tensions: Oman says ‘good progress’ made during nuclear talks in Geneva

Iran-US tensions live updates: Iran's supreme leader Khamenei on Tuesday said that US 'will not succeed' in destroying Iran as nuclear talks began in Geneva.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Oil slipped in thin trading in Asia, as traders looked to talks in Geneva between the US and OPEC member Iran on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported

Brent fell toward $68 a barrel, after adding 1.3% on Monday, while West Texas Intermediate held above $63. Traded volumes remained below average.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Washington and its close ally Israel believe Iran aspires to build a nuclear weapon that could threaten Israel's existence.

Iran says its nuclear programme is purely peaceful, even though it has enriched uranium far beyond the purity needed for power generation, and close to what is required for a bomb.

Tensions between the two countries further escalated since nationwide protests hit Iran against the current Islamic regime.

Iran-US tensions live updates: On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi in Geneva to discuss his country's position "regarding nuclear issues and sanctions relief".

He also stressed Tehran's "seriousness in using result-oriented diplomacy to secure the legitimate interests and rights of the Iranian people" and preserve peace in the region, Reuters reported.

Iran-US tensions live updates: US President Donald Trump said that he would be involved "indirectly" in the Geneva talks and that he believed Tehran wanted to make a deal.

"I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. "We could have had a deal instead of sending the B-2s in to knock out their nuclear potential. And we had to send the B-2s," Reuters quoted him as saying.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Mediated by Oman, the discussions between the US and Iran are aimed at averting the possibility of US military action, with Tehran expressing cautious optimism at Washington's "more realistic" position on its nuclear programme, AFP reported.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily against Iran, first over a deadly crackdown on protesters last month and then more recently over its nuclear programme.

Iran-US tensions live updates: The US delegation on Tuesday met International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi and Oman’s foreign minister.

They met in the morning in Geneva ahead of talks with Iran. The Iranian delegation had already met Grossi and the Omani foreign minister in Geneva on Monday.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Iran and the US begin the second round of indirect nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday. Oman is set to mediate the talks.

Iran-US tensions live updates: US seriousness on lifting sanctions on Iran and avoiding unrealistic demands are key to ensuring effective nuclear talks in Geneva, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday.

Second round of talks will be held in Geneva on Tuesday. This round comes a week after negotiators from Iran and the US met in Muscat.

Iran-US tensions live updates: A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday that Iran is in Geneva “with genuine, constructive proposals.”

The second round of talks between US and Iran are being held in Geneva. The closed-door indirect talks were scheduled to begin at 9 am local time.

Iran-US tensions live updates: US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will take part in the negotiations, which are being mediated by Oman, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters, alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

US President Donald Trump said that he would be involved "indirectly" in the Geneva talks and that he believed Tehran wanted to make a deal.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Iran and the United States will speak separately with Oman’s foreign minister during their indirect nuclear talks, Iran International reported, citing Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.

The spokesman said that the format would mirror the previous round, with the Omani foreign minister relaying messages between the two sides. He said the discussions would focus on nuclear issues.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Iran marked nearly 40 days, the traditional Muslim mourning period, since the deadly crackdown on anti-regime protests swept across the country.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said at least 7,015 people have been killed so far, with a majority of them losing their lives in the bloody overnight crackdown between Jan 8 and 9.

(AP)

Iran-US tensions live updates: Iran had prevented IAEA inspectors from verifying the status of its uranium stockpile or visiting sites bombed by Israel and the US ahead of peace talks in Geneva.

A law was passed after the 12-day war in 2025 between Iran and Israel that required agency monitors to negotiate access each time they want to visit Iranian nuclear facilities.

While this law had given IAEA access to operational plants including the Russian-built Bushehr nuclear plant and Tehran research reactor, Iran has claimed it’s still too dangerous to visit bombed enrichment sites in Fordow and Natanz, as well as its main uranium-processing facility in Isfahan, Bloomberg reported.

IAEA’s director general Grossi said the damaged sites are safe enough to inspect and Iran is long past due to allow a resumption of inspections.

Iran-US tensions live updates: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that it has been very difficult for anyone to strike a deal with Iran.

“It’s been very difficult for anyone to do real deals with Iran because we’re dealing with radical clerics who are making theological decisions, not geopolitical ones, but let’s see what happens. I hope it works out. We all hope it works out,” Bloomberg reported quoting Rubio as saying.

He also expressed hope that Tehran and Washington can overcome years of tense confrontation and hostility and eventually broker an agreement during talks in Geneva.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Iranian foreign minister Syed Abbas Araghchi said he discussed ‘proposals’ during his talks with the director general of United Nation's atomic watchdog - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi on Monday.

During his meeting with Grossi ahead of a second round of nuclear negotiations with the US, Aragchi held discussions on topics that he would present during his interaction with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday, Iranian state TV reported.

Iran-US tensions live updates: US President Donald Trump on Monday evening said that Iran wanted to make a deal as it did not want to face the consequences of not making one.

“I think they want to make a deal. I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Trump had repeatedly threatened to strike the Islamic Republic following its deadly crackdown on anti-regime protestors, unless it agreed to a deal curbing Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

He also mobilized warships and fighter jets near Iran in response to the crackdown by the regime there following mass protests.

(Bloomberg)

Iran-US tensions live updates: An Iranian lawmaker on Monday called on the Foreign Ministry to expel Germany’s ambassador in Tehran over a large rally by Iranians in Munich, and urged action against other European countries that allowed similar gatherings, reported Iran International.

“Expel the German ambassador and charge d’affaires so they do not repeat such mistakes next time,” Javad Hosseinikia said during a parliamentary session.

The lawmaker also pointed to European countries more broadly over rallies by Iranians abroad.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Senior Iranian MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi said that the country's nuclear and missile capabilities are non-negotiable and that Tehran is engaging in talks so it is not accused of refusing negotiations.

“But if the United States attacks Iran, we will certainly attack US bases,” Iran International reported quoting Boroujerdi, a member of Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Renowned Iranian activist Masih Alinejad condemned renewed US-Iran talks in Geneva scheduled for Tuesday.

“They shoot protesters. They torture for confessions ... then they board a plane, put on suits, and sit in meeting rooms and speak the language of diplomacy,” Alinejad wrote on X.

“If you normalize extremists in suits, don’t act surprised when extremism grows on your own soil in the West,” she added.

Iran-US tensions live updates: While US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee expressed said that he hoped a diplomatic accord can be achieved with Iran, he expressed skepticism that military action can ultimately be avoided, as US-Iran nuclear talks resume in Geneva on Tuesday.

“Will there be anything that can come from that that will bring peace? I honestly don’t know. I know there’s a lot of significant and legitimate doubt that the Iranians will ever agree to something that would cause them to lay down any ambitions of nuclear weaponry,” Iran International reported quoting Huckabee as saying while speaking to Jewish leaders at a Conference of Presidents gathering in Jerusalem.

He added that Trump had made clear military action was “not his first choice,” and that his “absolute desire” was to ensure Iran does not continue to wreak havoc globally.

Iran-US tensions live updates: Iranian deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi signaled that Tehran could be open to compromise on the nuclear issue, but is looking for an easing of international sanctions led by the United States.

“The ball is in America's court. They have to prove they want to have a deal with us,” Takht-Ravanchi told at an interview with the BBC on Sunday. “If we see a sincerity on their part, I am sure that we will be on a road to have an agreement,” he said.

Iran-US tensions live updates: In Iran's second warning in recent weeks about a live-fire drill, Iran announced that its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard started a drill in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman earlier on Monday.

These waterways that are crucial international trade routes through which 20% of the world's oil passes.

Separately, EOS Risk Group said sailors passing through the region received a radio warning that the northern lane of the Strait of Hormuz, in Iranian territorial waters, likely would see a live-fire drill Tuesday. Iranian state TV did not mention the live-fire drill.

(AP)

Iran-US tensions live updates: United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said that the country hopes to achieve a deal with Iran, despite the difficulties.

“I'm not going to prejudge these talks. The president always prefers peaceful outcomes and negotiated outcomes to things,” Rubio said.

Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will also be traveling for the new round of talks.

(AP)

Iran US tensions live updates: Iranian foreign minister Syed Abbas Araghchi on Monday(IST) said that he would meet his Omani counterpart Bard Albusaidi and the director general of International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Mariano Grossi ahead of the talks in Geneva.

“Joined by nuclear experts, I will meet @rafaelmgrossi on Mon for deep technical discussion. Also meeting @badralbusaidi ahead of diplomacy with U.S. on Tues,” Araghchi wrote on X.

“I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” he further wrote affirming that submission before threats is not on the table.