Just days before Tuesday’s meeting in Geneva between United States President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Iran’s foreign minister, officials in both the US and Israel assess that the chances of a deal between Iran and the US are slim.
The Iranian foreign minister, leading a delegation of representatives from political, legal, technical, and economic fields, is expected to meet with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi on Monday, who would oversee any nuclear agreement to ensure compliance.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said in an interview with the BBC that Iran is willing to consider concessions to reach a nuclear deal with the United States if Washington shows readiness to discuss lifting sanctions.
“The ball is in the American court to prove they want an agreement, and if they are sincere, I’m sure we’ll be on the path to one.” Takht-Ravanchi clarified that reducing uranium enrichment to zero is not on the table for Iran. “It is not part of the negotiations,” he said.
Speaking at the Conference of Presidents (COP) on Sunday, Netanyahu discussed his recent trip to Washington to meet Trump and said their discussions focused mainly on Iran. “The president is determined to exhaust diplomatic options and believes Iran understands it missed an opportunity last time, and there is a high chance they won’t miss it this time,” the prime minister said, adding that he expressed skepticism about any deal with Iran.
“Even if a deal can be reached, it must include components that safeguard the security of Israel, the United States, and the world,” he said.
Netanyahu outlined what he believes the US should demand of Iran: “First, all nuclear enrichment must be prevented; all equipment and materials for developing nuclear weapons must be destroyed, along with all ballistic missiles. Iran must cease all support for terrorist activities. There must be effective and genuine oversight to ensure compliance.”
After returning from his meeting with Trump, Netanyahu held a series of discussions with security chiefs and a small group of ministers on regional issues.
Iran’s army chief of staff, General Abdolrahim Mousavi, said on Sunday that Trump must understand that any battle against Iran would teach him a historic lesson. “Any conflict with Iran will prevent Trump from imposing global hegemony once and for all. If Trump wants war, I wonder why he is talking about negotiations?”