• Iran and the US have reached an agreement on guiding principles for a potential nuclear deal.
• Foreign Minister Araghchi emphasizes constructive dialogue despite ongoing tensions.
• US officials express cautious optimism while outlining key concerns over Iran's nuclear program.

In recent negotiations held in Geneva, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Iran and the United States have “reached a broad agreement on a set of guiding principles,” which serve as a foundation for drafting a potential nuclear deal. Araghchi described the latest talks as more constructive compared to previous rounds and confirmed plans for further discussions, although he cautioned that "narrowing the gap" between both sides' positions will take time, according to aa, lemonde, indiatimes, and aljazeera.

These discussions, mediated by Oman, not only address Iran's nuclear program but also occur in a heightened context of military tensions, with the US deploying aircraft carriers in proximity to Iran. Araghchi expressed optimism regarding the negotiations, saying, “the atmosphere of the dialogue was more constructive,” and that both parties would exchange draft texts prior to the next meeting, as detailed by lemonde and aljazeera.

Despite these advancements, US Vice President JD Vance indicated that there are significant unresolved issues, particularly regarding "red lines" set by President Trump that Iran has not accepted. Vance maintained that the US remains committed to diplomatic dialogues, although he noted, “the president reserves the right to determine when diplomacy has run its course,” which highlights the precarious nature of the ongoing negotiations, as reported by indiatimes and aljazeera.

Iranian officials continue to assert that any agreement must involve lifting sanctions imposed by the US, which they view as crippling to their economy. Furthermore, Tehran insists that the negotiations should center strictly on nuclear issues, explicitly excluding discussions on its ballistic missile program. This points to a fundamental divide between the two parties that could complicate future talks, according to Araghchi, who reiterated that "much work is left to be done," as discussed by aa and lemonde.