Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said that Iran and the United States are scheduled to hold a third round of nuclear talks on Thursday in Geneva, amid escalating tensions between the two countries.“I am pleased to confirm that US-Iranian negotiations have now been set in Geneva on Thursday, with a positive push for additional effort towards finalizing the deal,” Badr al-Busaidi said in a post on the X website.
The negotiations come as Washington increases its military presence across the Middle East and pressures Tehran to quickly agree to a nuclear deal. US President Donald Trump warned Iran not to reach an agreement with the United States within 10 to 15 days or “it will be unfortunate.”Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the US President said: “Either we will reach an agreement, or it will be unfortunate for them… 10 to 15 days will be enough time.”The New York Times reported that hundreds of soldiers were transferred from Al Udeid Air Base, citing Pentagon officials, at a time when the United States is strengthening its regional position.Similar logistical shifts have been identified at US installations in Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, as well as in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
The Jerusalem Post, citing Asian News International, reported a warning from the Iranian mission to the United Nations that in the event of a US attack, “all bases, facilities and assets of the hostile force in the region will constitute legitimate targets.”Officials are concerned that the 30,000 to 40,000 US forces spread across the region could become prime targets for the Islamic Republic in the event of an all-out war.
Military experts said such a confrontation would differ significantly from the strike on Al Udeid in June 2025, during which Iranian authorities gave the United States advance notice.In response, the United States is reportedly working to strengthen its regional position by transferring air defense systems to the Middle East to protect its forces and interests. It also decided to keep two aircraft carriers at a significant distance from Iranian territory to avoid becoming easy targets for retaliation.
