Tehran – Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that in order to reach a deal, the United States will have to drop its “excessive demands”, after the two sides held talks in Geneva.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Tehran had “already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America”.
Iran’s Foreign Minister says Tehran is prepared for both war and peace.
Ahead of fresh Geneva talks, he signals hope for a fair and balanced deal — but questions US intent. On missiles and nukes, he insists Iran seeks deterrence, not escalation.
Sanctions relief, he says, must… pic.twitter.com/9uxo6qQJ3Z— India Today Global (@ITGGlobal) February 27, 2026
Also on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is “not enriching right now, but they’re trying to get to the point where they ultimately can”, adding that Tehran “refuses” to discuss its ballistic missile programme and “that’s a big problem”.
Iran has repeatedly said its missile programme is part of its defensive capabilities and has ruled out abandoning uranium enrichment, insisting its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes.
Longtime adversaries Iran and the United States held their third round of Omani-mediated nuclear talks on Thursday in Geneva, seeking to avert military escalation as Washington expands its military build-up in the region.
Both Iran and Oman cited progress after the talks, with technical discussions scheduled for Monday in Vienna ahead of a fourth round expected next week.
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Source: AFP
