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Second round of Iran-US talks end as threat of war looms

Second round of Iran-US talks end as threat of war looms
MENA
11 min read
17 February, 2026
The US and Iran ended the second round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday, with Trump saying he will be involved 'indirectly'.

Talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on Tuesday have finished, Iranian media reported.

"The second round of indirect negotiations between Iran and the US held in Geneva ended," the ISNA news agency said.

The US and Iranian delegations taking part in talks between the two countries in Geneva on Tuesday have left the venue at the Omani ambassador's residence, an AFP journalist reported.

A US convoy of about 10 cars departed the residence at around 12:45 GMT, according to an AFP journalist at the scene, with the Iranian convoy leaving shortly after. The second round of talks began Tuesday morning following a first round on 6 February in Oman.

Mediated by Oman, the discussions are aimed at averting the possibility of US military action, with Tehran expressing cautious optimism at Washington's "more realistic" position on its nuclear programme..

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will take part in the negotiations, which Oman is mediating, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters, alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

US President Donald Trump said he would be involved "indirectly" in the Geneva talks and believed Tehran wanted to make a deal.

"I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday.

"We could have had a deal instead of sending the B-2s in to knock out their nuclear potential. And we had to send the B-2s."