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Iran optimistic on Geneva nuclear talks
Iran’s president has expressed optimism over the prospects of renewed nuclear negotiations with the United States, as Tehran’s delegation departed for Geneva for a third round of high-stakes discussions. Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that Tehran sees the potential for progress in talks aimed at resolving the long-running dispute over its nuclear programme. The negotiations resume amid heightened regional tensions and an expanded U.S. military presence in the Middle East. A senior U.S. official said earlier this week that American envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Donald Trump, are scheduled to meet Iran’s delegation in Geneva on Thursday. The Iranian team is being led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. The renewed diplomatic push comes after Washington and Tehran restarted talks earlier this month following years of stalemate. The United States has simultaneously increased its military capabilities in the region in preparation for possible strikes against the Islamic Republic, while Iran has warned it would retaliate against U.S. bases if attacked. Trump said on 19 February that he was giving Tehran approximately 10 to 15 days to reach an agreement. “In relation to the talks, we see
Middle East
Iran, US to hold new round of nuclear talks on Thursday
The United States and Iran will hold a new round of talks on a potential nuclear deal on Thursday, with Iran reportedly ready to suggest fresh concessions. The talks will be held in Geneva, similar to last week’s negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had told CBS News that negotiators would likely meet to seek a “fast deal” on Thursday, and Oman, which has mediated the talks, later confirmed the meeting. “Pleased to confirm U.S.-Iran negotiations are now set for Geneva this Thursday, with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalising the deal,” said Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi. “If they want to find a resolution for Iran's peaceful nuclear program, the only way is diplomacy,” Araghchi told CBS. “And we have proved this in the past, and I believe that still, there is a good chance to have a diplomatic solution which is based on a win-win game, and a solution is at our reach.” The two countries said they had made progress at last week’s talks. Iran would offer the U.S. a draft of a potential agreement in the following days, Araghchi had said. Iran is now prepared to consider sending half of its most enriched uranium abroad, diluting its uranium stockpiles, and joining a regional enr
Middle East
'Board of Peace' meets for 1st time, talks future of Gaza
The "Board of Peace", chaired by United States President Donald Trump, has met for the first time to discuss the future of Gaza. A list of promises for the rebuilding of Gaza was laid out, with Trump pledging $14.2 billion in aid from the U.S. for the war-torn region of Palestine. He also said the Board would be "almost be looking over the United Nations" to ensure it “runs properly” as the reconstruction process begins. Other nations present also committed to the Gaza International Stabilization Force, with Morocco, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania all promising to send troops. "The war in Gaza is over. It's over," Trump said. "There are little flames. Little flames." However, Israeli military strikes have been reported as recently as this week, with 11 fatalities recorded. Several Western nations were also not present at the inaugural meeting, including Australia, despite being issued invitations to attend.
Middle East
White House warns Iran to strike deal
The United States has warned that Iran would be “very wise” to reach an agreement with Washington, as reports suggest the White House is weighing potential military action against Tehran as soon as this weekend. The comments came as American and Iranian officials continued nuclear negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to long-running disputes over Tehran’s atomic programme. The talks have unfolded against a backdrop of rising military activity and intensifying rhetoric on both sides. Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there were “many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran”, adding that the two countries remained “very far apart” on key issues. She referenced a prior U.S. military operation, saying President Donald Trump had overseen a “very successful” mission last June, when U.S. stealth bombers struck three Iranian nuclear facilities as part of “Operation Midnight Hammer”. “The president has always been very clear though with respect to Iran or any country around the world, diplomacy is always his first option. And Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and this administratio
Middle East
US, Iran at impasse after Geneva talks
A second round of indirect nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran concluded in Geneva on Monday without a concrete breakthrough. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led Tehran’s delegation, meeting United States Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, for more than three hours at the Omani embassy in Geneva. The talks were mediated by Oman and followed an earlier round held this month. While no formal agreement was announced, Araghchi characterised the discussions as an improvement on previous efforts. "Good progress was made compared to the previous meeting, and we now have a clearer path ahead," Araghchi told Iranian state-run television. He added that "a set of guiding principles" had been reached, though he declined to provide further details. "This does not mean that we can reach an agreement quickly, but at least the path has begun," he said. The indirect negotiations, launched on 6 February, remain uncertain in terms of next steps. Prior to Monday’s meeting, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Araghchi was prepared to remain in Geneva for as long as necessary to secure results. Despite cautiously optimistic rhetoric from Tehran, analy

Middle East
Huge waste dump clean up begins in Gaza
A massive clean up operation is underway in Gaza, of a huge waste dump in a historic market space. With waste collection stopped by Israel's war on Gaza, the garbage mound has taken over what was once home to the historic Firas market. The market space served as a cultural and economic hub for nearly 600,000 residents pre-war. Head of the UNDP Gaza Office, Alessandro Mrakic, said that the heap, which poses both health and environmental risks, is measuring around 13 metres high and 300,000 cubic metres in volume.Credit: UNDP PalestineOver the next six months, the clean-up project will see the waste relocated to a temporary new site, south of the city, covering 75,000 square metres, built to environmental safety standards and equipped for daily collection. A report from the end of last year found that the UNDP has already collected 570,000 tons of waste across Gaza since 2023.
Middle East
Iran closes Strait of Hormuz amid US nuclear talks
Iran has said it partly closed the Strait of Hormuz, a major international shipping route, as it begins a new round of talks with the United States over its nuclear program. Iranian authorities cited security concerns for the strait’s closure, which lasted several hours, as Iran conducted military drills in the area yesterday. Around 31% of seaborne crude oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025. The closure came ahead of U.S. and Iranian officials’ meeting in Geneva today to discuss limits on Iran’s nuclear program. “We were able to reach a general agreement on a set of guiding principles, based on which we will proceed from now on and move toward drafting a potential agreement,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi after the talks. A U.S. official told the BBC that Iranian officials said they would offer detailed suggestions for a potential deal within the next two weeks, at which point the countries would schedule another round of talks. The U.S. aims to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weaponry, though Iran maintains it is not doing this. The U.S. has also been moving towards a military buildup in the region in recent weeks. It reportedly dispatched its largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald
Middle East
Iran FM meets IAEA chief before US talks
Iran’s foreign minister met the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday, ahead of renewed nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, as tensions remain elevated and the threat of further United States military action lingers. The meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi took place in Geneva, with Iran’s Foreign Ministry saying the two sides discussed cooperation with the agency and Tehran’s technical perspective on the ongoing nuclear talks with the United States. The diplomatic engagement comes amid heightened regional strain. Washington, which joined Israel in air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June, has since ordered a second U.S. aircraft carrier group to the Middle East. At the same time, Iran began a military exercise in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial international waterway through which around a fifth of global oil supplies transit. Gulf Arab states have urged diplomacy to defuse the crisis and avoid disruption to energy markets. The U.S. and Iran revived negotiations earlier this month in an effort to address their decades-long dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Washington, along with other Western governments
Middle East
Iran floats energy, mining deals in US talks
Iran has indicated it is seeking a nuclear agreement with the United States that delivers economic gains for both sides, with potential cooperation in energy, mining and aviation reportedly under discussion ahead of a second round of negotiations. Tehran and Washington resumed talks earlier this month aimed at resolving their long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme and averting the risk of renewed military confrontation. The discussions come amid heightened regional tensions, with the U.S. dispatching a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and preparing contingency plans should diplomacy fail, U.S. officials told the Wall Street Journal. Speaking in Bratislava, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump preferred a diplomatic outcome but acknowledged uncertainty over the prospects. "No one's ever been able to do a successful deal with Iran, but we're going to try," Rubio said. Despite previously warning it would strike U.S. bases in the region if attacked, Iran struck a more conciliatory tone on Sunday. Hamid Ghanbari, deputy director for economic diplomacy at Iran’s foreign ministry, told the semi-official Fars news agency that mutual economic interests were central to secur