TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi held talks in Geneva on Monday, as Tehran and Washington prepared for a second round of negotiations on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.

According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, the meeting focused on technical issues related to Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA within the framework of safeguards, as well as the Iranian Parliament’s law governing that cooperation. Iran’s technical viewpoints regarding its nuclear talks with the United States were also discussed.

The meeting came a day before Iranian and American delegations were set to resume indirect negotiations, with Oman continuing its role as mediator. Araghchi is also scheduled to meet Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi.

In a post on X, Grossi said he had completed “in-depth technical discussions” with Araghchi in preparation for “important negotiations scheduled for tomorrow in Geneva.” Araghchi, in a separate post, said he was in Geneva with “real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” while firmly rejecting pressure-driven concessions.

“What is not on the table: submission before threats,” the Iranian foreign minister wrote.

Iran and the United States resumed indirect nuclear talks in Muscat on February 6, months after U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025 disrupted a separate negotiating process. Iranian officials have said Tehran’s main demand remains the effective and verifiable lifting of economic sanctions, stressing that any agreement without tangible economic benefits would be meaningless.

The renewed diplomacy is unfolding amid heightened regional tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently ordered additional military deployments to the region, including another aircraft carrier, fighter jets, and guided-missile destroyers. In late January, Trump warned of consequences “far worse” than the June strikes if a deal is not reached, while anti-war groups have cautioned that another confrontation could prove catastrophic.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran has entered the talks “seriously, in good faith, and with a result-oriented approach,” while expressing deep scepticism over Washington’s intentions.

“Our problem is not negotiation itself, but the shifting positions and contradictory statements coming not only from negotiators, but from other American officials,” Baghaei told IRNA on Monday. “They are sending completely inconsistent signals, none of which indicate seriousness.”

Baghaei said Iran is negotiating “in an atmosphere of full mistrust,” shaped by past experience, including attacks on its nuclear facilities while diplomacy was underway.

“We were in the middle of negotiations, with even the sixth round scheduled, when we were subjected to military attack,” he said. “The blow dealt to diplomacy is irreparable.”

The second round of talks is being held in Geneva at the Omani mission, bringing together delegations led by Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Baghaei said Iran is participating with a full political, legal, economic, and technical team.

“All experts necessary to express views and make decisions on various aspects of a potential understanding are present,” he said.

Baghaei also rejected media speculation about U.S. proposals to suspend or sharply limit uranium enrichment, calling such claims “baseless.” He reiterated that Iran, as a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has the right under Article IV to peaceful nuclear energy, including enrichment.

“As long as a country remains in the NPT, abandoning this right would render continued membership meaningless,” he said.

The Geneva talks also take place against a strained backdrop in Iran–IAEA relations. After the agency failed to condemn U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites in June, Iran’s parliament passed a law suspending cooperation with the IAEA and granting the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) authority to determine whether and how inspections would resume.

Since then, IAEA inspectors have visited facilities that were not attacked, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant, but have not inspected sites in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz that were hit in the strikes. Iranian officials say the agency lacks any established protocols for inspecting nuclear facilities that have come under military attack, particularly to ensure safety and security.

Iran and the IAEA reached a new technical framework in September to address outstanding issues, but the agreement was effectively derailed after Germany, France, and the United Kingdom reinstated pre-JCPOA sanctions at Washington’s behest.

Iranian officials have also criticized Grossi for overstepping his technical mandate, noting that he released a report recycling old and previously debunked allegations against Iran just one day before the June attacks.

Despite these tensions, Baghaei said Iran remains engaged with the IAEA under its safeguards obligations and believes the agency can still play a constructive role—provided it adheres strictly to its technical responsibilities.

Dismissing claims that Tehran is seeking to buy time, Baghaei said Iran has every incentive to reach a genuine agreement.

“Our people are under pressure from unjust sanctions,” he said. “There is no benefit for us in prolonging negotiations.”