GENEVA: Switzerland announced on Saturday that Oman will host talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva next week, as Washington increases pressure on Tehran to curb its nuclear programme.
A spokesperson for Switzerland’s foreign ministry said the country remains ready to offer its good offices at any time to help facilitate dialogue between the two sides.
On February 6, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, in Oman. The parties conducted the discussions indirectly, with Omani officials mediating between them.
Trump has recently intensified military pressure on Tehran over its nuclear activities. US forces targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities last July during Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran. On Friday, Trump said regime change in Iran would be “the best thing that could happen” as he ordered a second US aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
Longstanding Swiss Role IN US Iran Diplomacy
Switzerland has played a central diplomatic role between Iran and the United States for decades. After Washington severed relations with Tehran following the 1980 hostage crisis that came a year after the Iranian Revolution, Switzerland began representing US interests in Iran.
Acting as a “protecting power,” Switzerland has enabled the two countries to maintain limited diplomatic and consular communication. The Swiss embassy in Tehran manages consular matters between the United States and Iran, including passport services, civil status issues and consular assistance for US citizens in Iran.
Under its protecting power mandate, Switzerland can offer to act as an intermediary on its own initiative or at the request of the involved parties, provided all sides agree.
Meanwhile, the United States will also hold separate talks in Geneva next week involving Russia and Ukraine. Moscow and Kyiv have confirmed that US-brokered negotiations will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Swiss city as part of ongoing efforts to end the four-year war. Two earlier rounds of US-mediated discussions in Abu Dhabi failed to produce a breakthrough.