US-Iran talks end without a deal, but progress is being made
The United States and Iran nuclear talks in Geneva ended without an agreement on Thursday (February 26), but Omani mediators stated that progress had been made that could open the way for further diplomacy.
However, there has been no significant breakthrough to fully alleviate market concerns about potential US military action, amidst a significant buildup of forces in the region.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said the two sides would resume negotiations "soon" after consultations in their respective capitals. Oman also stated that discussions would continue at a technical level next week in Vienna, which is seen as helping to contain speculation of an imminent escalation.
From the Iranian side, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi described these discussions as the most serious yet, with "some issues" having been reached, but differences still remaining on others. Iran has emphasized its primary focus on sanctions relief, while Washington has been pushing for deeper concessions from Tehran. As of this writing, there has been no official statement directly from the US negotiating team, although Axios quoted a senior US official as calling the process "positive."
Meanwhile, core issues such as uranium enrichment and whether discussions will extend to Iran's ballistic missile program and support for regional armed groups remain major stumbling blocks.
With political deadlines looming and the US military's escalating posture, markets believe the diplomatic path is still open—but the risk of tensions remains high until there is more concrete evidence of a deal.
Source: Newsmaker.id
