The United States says it sees signs of an Iran nuclear programme rebuild talks push, as American and Iranian negotiators prepare to meet in Geneva. Vice President JD Vance said Washington has evidence that Tehran is attempting to restore parts of its nuclear programme following US-led strikes in June.
The Geneva meeting marks the third round of nuclear negotiations this year. It comes amid heightened U.S. military deployments in the Middle East.
Vance stressed that Washington’s position remains unchanged. “The principle is very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he told reporters ahead of Thursday’s talks.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet an Iranian delegation to assess whether a new agreement is possible.
Iran Nuclear Programme Rebuild Talks in Focus
The talks on rebuilding the Iranian nuclear programme have gained urgency following comments from senior US officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran appears to be trying to restore elements of its nuclear capacity.
Rubio stated that although Iran is not currently enriching uranium, it is “trying to get to the point where they ultimately can.” He also raised concerns about Tehran’s ballistic missile capabilities.
According to the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Iran holds the largest stockpile of ballistic missiles in the Middle East. Rubio warned that some of these weapons could threaten US interests and parts of Europe.
Iran, however, has insisted that ballistic missiles will not be discussed in Geneva. Rubio described this as a “big problem” but said Thursday’s meeting remains an opportunity for dialogue.
Background to the Tensions
President Donald Trump previously ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming they had “obliterated” key sites. US officials have since argued that Tehran remains close to developing nuclear weapons capability.
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Trump has also criticised the Iranian government over its response to recent protests. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi in Geneva before the talks.
Iranian state media reported that Araqchi raised Tehran’s concerns about sanctions and outlined its position on the nuclear issue.
