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Iran FM says agreement on 'guiding principles' reached in talks with US

The latest round of negotiations came after President Donald Trump warned of potential consequences for Iran should no agreement be reached.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Feb 17, 2026

WASHINGTON — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran and Washington reached an agreement on a set of “guiding principles” during indirect nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday, describing the discussions as more constructive than a previous round but cautioning that a final deal remains distant.

Speaking to reporters after the talks, Araghchi said no that date had been set for the next round, adding that both sides would now work on draft texts and exchange them before deciding on next steps. While significant differences remain, he said negotiators now have a “clearer path” forward.

The United States and Iran had convened this second round of discussions on Tuesday in a last-ditch effort to avert another conflict. 

The talks were held against the backdrop of continued threats from President Donald Trump, who has amassed US military forces in the region and recently described regime change as “the best thing that could happen” in Iran. The two sides held an initial round of talks in Oman on Feb. 6. 

“I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal,” Trump told reporters on Monday. “They want to make a deal.”

The talks in Geneva were again hosted by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who shuttled between the sides at the Omani ambassador's residence. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, led the US side, while Araghchi represented Iran. 

The Trump administration is seeking an agreement that addresses Iran’s ballistic missile program and support for regional militias in addition to its nuclear program. Iran had demanded the talks be limited to its nuclear program, which it insists is only for peaceful purposes. 

The Wall Street Journal reports that Iran has suggested transferring some of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country, such as Russia. The Iranians have also indicated they might offer to pause uranium enrichment for up to three years, the outlet reported. 

As the talks got underway on Tuesday, Iranian state media outlets announced that Tehran had fired live missiles toward the Strait of Hormuz and was closing parts of the waterway for several hours for “safety and maritime concerns.”

Last year, Washington and Tehran held several rounds of similar talks aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Those negotiations collapsed after Israel launched its 12-day war on Iran in June, during which the United States struck three Iranian nuclear facilities. 

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Iran Deal

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