The United States and Iran made measurable progress during the second round of indirect nuclear negotiations held in Geneva on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, though both sides acknowledged that significant gaps persist and more work is required before any comprehensive agreement can be reached.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the talks as constructive, stating: "Progress was made, but there are still a lot of details to discuss. The Iranians said they would come back in the next two weeks with detailed proposals to address some of the open gaps in our positions."
This cautious assessment aligns with comments from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led Tehran's delegation. After the session concluded at the Omani Embassy, Araghchi told reporters the discussions were "more serious" and conducted in a "more constructive" atmosphere than the first round held earlier in February in Muscat, Oman. He highlighted that the parties had reached a "general agreement on a set of guiding principles" to serve as the foundation for drafting a potential agreement.
"It was decided that both sides will work on the drafts of a potential agreement, and after exchanging the texts, the timing of the next round of talks will be determined," Araghchi explained. He described a "clear path" forward, assessing the outcome positively from Iran's viewpoint, while cautioning that "progress does not mean a quick agreement has been reached." The negotiation process has begun with "good progress," but "both sides have positions that will take some time to bring closer together." No specific date has been set for a third round, and Araghchi noted it is premature to outline a detailed roadmap.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who mediated the indirect format, echoed the positive tone on X (formerly Twitter), stating the talks concluded with "good progress towards identifying common goals and relevant technical issues." He called the discussions "constructive," praised the "serious efforts" to define guiding principles for a final deal, and thanked Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for his contributions while emphasizing that "further work remains ahead of the next meeting."
Iranian state media and Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei reported that the approximately three-and-a-half-hour session focused primarily on technical aspects, with experts in nuclear, legal, and economic fields participating. The delegations exchanged notes on key issues, including sanctions relief and nuclear-related technical matters. Both sides held separate meetings with Grossi to address verification and safeguards concerns.
The US delegation was led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and included President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner. The talks resumed diplomacy after an eight-month suspension following the Iran-Israel war in June 2025, amid heightened regional tensions—including US military buildups in the Middle East and Iran's recent large-scale maritime exercises, including a temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz for live-fire drills on the same day.
Iran insists the negotiations remain strictly limited to its nuclear program and the lifting of US sanctions, excluding discussions on ballistic missiles, regional proxy activities, or other issues. US officials have indicated they will press for curbs on enrichment levels, enhanced IAEA monitoring, and broader non-proliferation commitments.
The Geneva round follows the first indirect session in Muscat earlier this month, marking the revival of talks under the Trump administration after years of impasse since the US withdrawal from the 2015 JCPOA in 2018. Public statements from both sides reflect cautious optimism, with expectations that Iran will submit more detailed proposals within the next two weeks to narrow remaining differences.
Analysts note that while agreement on guiding principles represents a modest step forward, bridging core divergences—particularly on sanctions relief timelines, uranium enrichment caps, and verification mechanisms—will remain challenging amid ongoing geopolitical pressures. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether momentum can be sustained toward a viable framework.
