Delegations from Iran and the US have begun a third round of talks in Geneva this morning, with both sides indicating a preference for a diplomatic solution to the escalating tensions between their nations.
The negotiations, conducted indirectly through Swiss and Omani mediators, are aimed at averting fresh military intervention in the Islamic Republic, which has been threatened by Washington if a deal does not meet the Trump administration’s red lines.
Previously, it was understood that uranium enrichment and, consequently, the threat of Tehran developing nuclear weapons were the key issues on the table, but emphasis has now reportedly shifted to its ballistic missile programme.
President Trump claimed in his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday that Iran is in the process of building conventional missiles with a large enough range to reach American shores.
Iran has dismissed this claim as “misinformation” and said it is not willing to discuss any limits on missile development, creating a potential impasse in the negotiations.
It has also ruled out scrapping its nuclear enrichment programme, which it claims is needed for civilian energy projects, but has reportedly offered to dilute or relocate its stock of enriched uranium.
The IAEA, the UN’s atomic watchdog, estimates that Iran holds around 400kg of 60 per cent enriched material, which can be converted relatively simply to the 90 per cent level required to be considered weapons-grade.
Tehran is understood to have suggested it could move some of this abroad or dilute its purity to reduce the risk of military applications.
Dilution, also known as downblending, involved mixing the uranium with other materials to reduce its enrichment percentage. This lengthens the amount of time needed to re-enrich the material to the level required for nuclear weapons.
As the talks continue, the USS Gerald R Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, remains stationed in the Arabian Sea, within striking distance of Iran.
A recent report from the Wall Street Journal suggested that seamen are facing harsh conditions due to the extended deployment, first to the Caribbean during the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and now in the Middle East.
Nonetheless, it is likely to remain there until either a diplomatic solution is reached or Trump decides to authorise military action.
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