US-Iran talks end in Geneva, will resume soon, says Oman

US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva ended on Thursday without any achievements, with Iran rejecting key US demands while Washington maintaining military readiness and top officials signaling a hardline stance, according to Iranian and Western media reports. Delegations from Tehran and Washington met under Omani mediation for the third round of indirect talks, focusing on Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief, according to Iran’s foreign ministry. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said technical discussions would resume next week in Vienna.While the Omani top diplomat spoke of “progress” in negotiations, US media said no breakthrough was achieved.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state TV that the talks “made very good progress and entered into the elements of an agreement very seriously, both in the nuclear field and in the sanctions field.” He said the next round would take place in “perhaps less than a week,” with technical talks at the UN’s nuclear agency to begin in Vienna on Monday.A US official described the talks to Axios as “positive.” The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, gave a less rosy assessment on Thursday evening, describing the sides as “still far apart on key issues.” The cause for the discrepancies was not immediately clear.
The talks coincide with domestic pressures in Iran, where universities have shifted to online-only classes amid ongoing protests. Observers say the lack of breakthroughs highlights the fragile state of the diplomatic process. Negotiators are expected to return next week. Core disagreements over enrichment and sanctions remain, leaving the outcome uncertain as Iran continues uranium enrichment and the US maintains military readiness in the region.