US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker stated on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, that President Donald Trump retains sole authority over all decisions concerning Iran while remaining open to achieving a peaceful resolution through diplomacy.
Speaking to Fox News shortly after the conclusion of the second round of indirect US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva, Whitaker emphasized: “President Trump … holds all the decisions, but he’s willing to give real diplomacy a chance to solve this peacefully.”
The ambassador reiterated Washington’s unwavering position that “the number one state sponsor of terror can’t have nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them,” a reference to Iran’s designation by the US as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.
Whitaker highlighted past military action, noting that Trump “obliterated their program once with Operation Midnight Hammer,” the June 2025 US-led strikes that targeted three major Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Those strikes significantly damaged Iran’s uranium enrichment infrastructure and were widely seen as a major setback to its nuclear ambitions.
He warned that the threat of renewed military action remains credible, pointing to a substantial US military buildup in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group has already been deployed to the Middle East, with plans underway to send the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier as reinforcement. Whitaker quoted the president directly: “If diplomacy doesn’t work out, as he (Trump) said, ‘It will be a very bad day for Iran.’”
The ambassador’s comments came on the same day the second round of indirect nuclear negotiations concluded in Geneva under Omani mediation. The talks, lasting approximately three-and-a-half hours at the Omani Embassy, focused on technical, legal, and economic aspects of a potential agreement.
Both delegations—led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (accompanied by senior adviser Jared Kushner)—held separate meetings with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi before exchanging notes and proposals through intermediaries. Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was also present and met separately with both sides to provide input on verification and safeguards.
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi described the session as “more serious” and “more constructive” than the first round held earlier in February in Muscat, Oman. He announced that the parties had reached a “general agreement on a set of guiding principles” to serve as the foundation for drafting a potential deal. Both sides agreed to prepare and exchange initial draft texts, after which the timing for a third round would be determined.
Araghchi cautioned that while progress has been made and a “clear path” now exists, bridging remaining differences will take time. No specific date has been set for the next meeting, and he noted it is premature to speak of a detailed roadmap.
The Geneva talks mark the resumption of diplomacy more than eight months after negotiations were suspended following the Iran-Israel war in June 2025, which included the US strikes under Operation Midnight Hammer and subsequent regional escalation.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and insists any agreement must focus solely on sanctions relief and nuclear-related issues, excluding ballistic missiles or regional activities. The US continues to demand strict limits on uranium enrichment, robust IAEA monitoring, and verifiable non-proliferation commitments.
With an American armada now positioned nearby and indirect talks showing cautious forward movement, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether diplomatic momentum can be sustained or if the situation risks further escalation.
