The third round of US-Iran nuclear talks is underway in Geneva on Thursday. Israel Hayom reported earlier that the Americans received a position paper from the Iranian side ahead of the talks, but diplomatic sources said Iran showed no flexibility on Washington's central demand for a complete halt to uranium enrichment on Iranian soil. It now remains to be seen how the negotiations develop and whether a US military strike is on the horizon or whether another opening for diplomacy will emerge.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the talks in Geneva were intensive and serious. The official added that the discussions produced "new ideas" that require consultation with Tehran, and that some of the gaps between the two sides remain. The official said a framework agreement could be reached if the US "seriously separates nuclear and non-nuclear issues."
The Wall Street Journal reported that the list of conditions US President Donald Trump presented to the Iranians in Geneva is particularly rigid but covers only issues related to Iran's nuclear program. According to the report, the Americans are demanding zero uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, the transfer of all of Iran's enriched uranium to Washington's custody, and a partial lifting of sanctions in the initial phases.
While the talks are underway, the largest US aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, left port near the Greek island of Crete and is heading toward the coast near Haifa in northern Israel, where it is expected to arrive Friday. The US also sent approximately 12 F-22 fighter jets to Israel – the first time Washington has deployed combat aircraft to a country for potential wartime operations, an American official said.
