TEHRAN: Iran and the United States have agreed to begin drafting the text of a potential nuclear agreement after reaching a set of guiding principles during their latest round of indirect talks in Geneva, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday.
Speaking after the conclusion of the second round of talks held under Omani mediation, Araghchi said both sides reached a general understanding on a set of “guiding principles” that will form the basis 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,” he said, adding that the timing of the next round would be determined later.
Araghchi said a clearer path now lies ahead for negotiations with Washington and that the process is “assessed positively” from Iran’s perspective. However, he cautioned that progress does not mean a final deal is imminent.
“Both sides have positions that will take some time to bring closer together,” he said, noting that no specific date has yet been set for the next round and that it is too early to speak of a detailed roadmap.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said Tuesday’s discussions concluded with “good progress towards identifying common goals and relevant technical issues.” Writing on X, he described the talks as “constructive” and said both sides made serious efforts to define guiding principles for a final deal.
Albusaidi also expressed appreciation for Rafael Grossi’s contribution as head of the UN nuclear watchdog, while stressing that further work remains ahead of the next meeting.
Iranian state media reported that the Geneva talks focused primarily on technical aspects of the nuclear file, including sanctions relief and legal and economic matters. Experts in nuclear, legal, and economic fields participated in the discussions.
Araghchi led the Iranian delegation, while the US side was headed by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s adviser Jared Kushner. Both delegations held separate meetings with Albusaidi at the Omani Embassy before exchanging messages through mediators.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the negotiations centered on sanctions removal and technical details. He added that both sides also held separate meetings with Grossi.
The first round of talks took place in Muscat earlier this month, more than eight months after diplomacy was suspended following last year’s Iran-Israel conflict.
A reporter for the state-run news agency IRNA accompanying the Iranian delegation described the negotiations as “very serious,” saying general understandings were reached and detailed discussions would continue after consultations with respective capitals.
