U.S. and Iranian officials conducted one of their “most intense” rounds of negotiations in Geneva Thursday but failed to reach a deal amid an escalating row over nuclear capabilities.
“Further progress has been made in our diplomatic engagement with the United States,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. “This round of talks was the most intense so far.”
There is a “mutual understanding” that both parties will continue to engage in a more “detailed manner,” he added.
On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump agreed “additional talks” would take place, but reiterated his restlessness over the absence of a deal.
“I’m not happy with the fact that they are not willing to give us what we have to have,” he told reporters as he left the White House for Texas. “I’m not thrilled with that, we’ll see what happens.”
The risk of conflict emerging between the two sides remains, with the U.S. having spent recent weeks building up its military presence in the Middle East region amid heightened tensions.
Ahead of the talks Thursday, Araghchi warned that any conflict between the two would likely result in a “devastating war.”
“Since the Americans’ bases are scattered in different places of the region, then unfortunately, perhaps, the whole region would be engaged,” he said. “Of course we are prepared. We are prepared for both options—war and peace.”
Trump has also said the U.S. is prepared to take military action, if certain requirements aren’t met, referencing last year’s U.S. strikes on three key Iranian nuclear sites as a warning.
During his State of the Union address Tuesday night, Trump accused Iran of restarting “sinister ambitions” related to nuclear weaponry and appeared to indicate that the U.S. would consider taking military action if Tehran did not abandon said ambitions. He claimed Iran was working to “build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.”
Iran swiftly rejected those claims,…
