Geneva, Switzerland – Switzerland has officially confirmed that it will host the second round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva this week. This comes as part of intensive international efforts, led by Oman, to prevent military escalation in the region and reach a new nuclear agreement.
Switzerland: “We are ready to facilitate dialogue”
A spokesperson for the Swiss Foreign Ministry told AFP that Switzerland remains ready to do its utmost and use its “good offices” to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran. He also affirmed Switzerland’s full support for these negotiations, which aim to defuse the crisis.
Details of the upcoming tour and participants
According to diplomatic reports, the new round of talks is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, February 17. It follows up on the first round held in the Omani capital, Muscat, on February 6. Washington will be represented by a high-level delegation including Special Envoy Steve Wittkopf and Jared Kushner (President Donald Trump’s son-in-law), with military leaders participating for the first time. The delegation will be headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. For its part, Iran has emphasized that the discussions will focus solely on the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions. The Sultanate of Oman is acting as a direct mediator, conveying messages between the two sides, given the absence of official direct channels of communication between them.
Trump’s pressures and Washington’s options
These talks are taking place under intense pressure from the administration of President Donald Trump, who has threatened “shocking” options should the diplomatic track fail.
Washington has also bolstered its military presence in the region by deploying the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford. This is intended to increase pressure on Tehran to accept strict limits on uranium enrichment.
