“I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable agreement,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghi. file | Photo credit: AP
Iran’s top diplomat met with the head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency on Monday (February 16, 2026) ahead of a second round of talks with the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghi met with International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grassi and said he would also meet Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who is hosting the US-Iran talks in Geneva on Tuesday (16 February).
“I am in Geneva with genuine ideas to achieve a fair and equitable agreement,” said Mr. Aragchi wrote in X. “What’s not on the table: submission to threats,” he added.
Iran is open to compromise in exchange for sanctions relief
On Sunday (February 15), Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi signaled that Tehran may 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 do a deal with us,” Mr Takht-Ravanchi said. BBC. “If we see the sincerity in them, I’m sure we’ll come to an agreement.”
“We are ready to discuss this and other aspects of our program provided we are also ready to talk about sanctions,” he added.
On February 6, Oman became the venue for indirect talks between the US and Iran.
Ambassadors from Russia and Ukraine held talks in Geneva on Tuesday (February 16) and Wednesday (February 17) ahead of the fourth anniversary of the US attack on its neighbor.
Similar talks between the US and Iran over Iran’s nuclear program collapsed last year after Israel launched what turned into a 12-day war against Iran, which included US bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities.
US keeps military pressure high
US President Donald Trump last month threatened military action over Iran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests, but Tehran has turned to a pressure campaign in recent weeks to secure a deal on its nuclear program.
Mr. Trump said Friday (Feb.) that the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, is being sent from the Caribbean to the Mideast to join other military assets the U.S. has built in the region. He also said regime change in Iran was “the best thing that could happen.”
Iran has announced that they will retaliate if America attacks.
The Trump administration has maintained that Iran will not be able to enrich uranium under any deal. Tehran said that they will not accept it.
Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. However, its officials threaten to pursue nuclear weapons. Before the June war, Iran had enriched uranium to 60% purity, a small, technical step from weapons-grade levels.
Mr. Iran stopped all cooperation with the IAEA after the June war with Israel A face-to-face meeting with Grassi was an important step. The two met briefly on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September. The IAEA said it could not verify the status of weapons-grade uranium stockpiles near Iran after the war. Iran allowed the IAEA some access to undamaged sites but did not allow inspectors to visit other sites.
“If Iran’s uranium reserves were enriched to 60%, it would allow Iran to build up to 10 nuclear bombs if it decided to weaponize its program,” Mr. Grassi previously said. Associated Press. This does not mean Iran has such a weapon, he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Washington last week to urge Mr Trump to ensure any deal includes measures to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile program and end funding to proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Published – February 16, 2026 04:45 pm IST
