Geneva, Feb 18 — Iran and the United States have reached an understanding on a set of “guiding principles” to move forward in indirect nuclear talks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday, describing the latest round as a step forward even as Washington warned that diplomacy has limits.
“Ultimately, we were able to reach broad agreement on a set of guiding principles, based on which we will move forward and begin working on the text of a potential agreement,” Araghchi told Iranian state television after talks mediated by Oman in Geneva. He said the discussions showed “good progress” compared with the previous round in Oman earlier this month.
Araghchi cautioned that gaps remain. “It will take time to narrow” differences, he said, adding that once both sides prepare draft texts, “the drafts would be exchanged and a date for a third round [of talks] would be set.” He said the path ahead was now clearer and “positive.”
In Washington, US Vice President JD Vance struck a more guarded tone, signalling a preference for diplomacy while underscoring red lines set by President Donald Trump. “In some ways, it went well; they agreed to meet afterwards,” Vance said in a Fox News interview. “But in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.”
“We’re going to keep on working it,” Vance added, “but of course, the president reserves the ability to say when he thinks that diplomacy has reached its natural end.”
The talks unfolded against rising military posturing in the Gulf. The United States has deployed two aircraft carriers to the region, placing combat aircraft within range of Iran, while Tehran has conducted war games near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei warned on Tuesday that Iran had the capability to sink a US warship, saying, “A warship is certainly a dangerous weapon, but even more dangerous is the weapon capable of sinking it.”
Iran has repeatedly said any agreement must deliver tangible economic relief from sweeping US sanctions, including restrictions on oil sales, while safeguarding its sovereignty and national security. Tehran insists the talks focus on its uranium enrichment programme and has rejected demands for zero enrichment or the inclusion of its missile capabilities.
Washington has pushed for Iran to forgo enrichment on its soil and has sought to widen the scope of negotiations to non-nuclear issues. The standoff comes amid Iranian warnings that the Strait of Hormuz—through which about a fifth of global oil flows—could be disrupted in response to any attack, a move that would sharply drive up crude prices.
A previous diplomatic track collapsed last year after Israel launched surprise strikes on Iran, triggering a 12-day conflict that briefly drew in the United States, which bombed nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan.