The Iranian delegation arrived in Geneva on Wednesday, at a time when expectations were growing about the fate of the negotiations between Washington and Tehran as a decisive third round approached. This comes amid Trump's accusations that Tehran is pursuing its nuclear ambitions and Iranian warnings of a "regional war," while hinting at a strong response to any potential attack.

Published on: 02/26/2026 - 02:16 Last updated: 02/26/2026 - 07:48

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The Iranian negotiating delegation arrived in Geneva on Wednesday evening in a spirit of optimism, on the eve of the third round of talks with the Americans, despite President Donald Trump accusing Tehran of continuing its “evil” nuclear ambitions, as he put it. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his optimism about the discussions, speaking of a “promising horizon” and hoping to “overcome the state of neither war nor peace,” while Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi leads the delegation and meets with the Omani mediator Badr al-Busaidi.

Araqchi said on Tuesday that “an agreement is within reach,” speaking of a “historic opportunity.” On the other hand, in his State of the Union speech, Trump renewed his accusation of Iran of pursuing “evil” nuclear ambitions, saying, “I prefer to solve this problem through diplomacy, but one thing is certain: I will never allow the number one state sponsor of terrorism in the world, which they largely are, to possess a nuclear weapon.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected what it described as American “big lies,” and spokesman Ismail Baghaei said on the “X” platform, “Everything they claim about the Iranian nuclear program, Iranian ballistic missiles, and the number of victims during the January unrest is nothing but a repetition of big lies.” Tehran asserts its right to a peaceful nuclear program and denies seeking military capabilities.

Thursday's third round of Oman's mediation comes after two meetings in Muscat and Geneva, in the wake of a large American military buildup in the Gulf and the Middle East, and threats of an attack if diplomacy fails, despite Trump's assertion that he still prefers a diplomatic solution, and his deputy, Jay D. Vance, warning Tehran not to take the threats "seriously," with new American sanctions on more than 30 individuals, entities, and ships.

The negotiations resumed this month after they were toppled by the war launched by Israel in June, which lasted 12 days, and in which Washington contributed by bombing nuclear sites. In Tehran, the street is divided; Habib, a 47-year-old trader, believes that “war is 100 percent inevitable” and that Iran cannot “under any circumstances” accept American demands, while Mehdi, a 58-year-old salesman, believes that “there will be no war and that negotiations will lead to a result,” adding that “the Americans are only waving. Because they cannot do anything.”

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warns of a "regional war" if Iran is attacked, vowing a strong response. In Lebanon, a Hezbollah official told Agence France-Presse that the party would not intervene militarily if the US strikes on Iran were “limited,” but he warned of a “red line” of targeting Khamenei or seeking to overthrow the regime, stressing that the party would intervene at that time.

France 24/AFP

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