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US Demands Total Dismantlement of Key Iranian Nuclear Sites as Geneva Talks Heat Up
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US negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are engaging in high-stakes talks in Geneva over Iran’s nuclear program, facing intense pressure from Republican lawmakers not to broker a deal seen as too lenient, the Wall Street Journal reported on February 26.
The US is insisting that Iran dismantle its key nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, and surrender all its remaining enriched uranium.
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These demands aim to address concerns about Iran’s potential development of nuclear weapons, which both the US and Israel have long opposed.
US officials are also firm on the idea that any agreement must be permanent, with no sunset clauses—a major point of contention given the previous deal under the Obama administration, which was criticized by Republicans for its gradual lifting of restrictions, according to the Wall Street Journal.
US President Trump, who withdrew from that deal in his first term, has continued to threaten military action if diplomacy fails, recently deploying a significant military presence in the region, including two aircraft carriers and advanced warplanes.
Earlier, a surge in US military air activity across Europe and the Middle East was being described as one of the most significant movements of American aircraft in decades, as tensions remain high over Iran.
Reports of compiled flight-tracking summaries using publicly available data was described as the “largest US build-up of kit since the Gulf Wars.”
While Iran insists on its right to enrich uranium, it has proposed reducing its enrichment levels, even offering alternatives like working through an Arab-Iranian consortium, the Wall Street Journal wrote.
However, the US remains firm on zero enrichment, though it might allow a reactor for medical purposes with very low enrichment. This issue continues to be a sticking point, with Iran hawks in the US government and Congress pushing for stricter terms.
As the Geneva talks unfold, the US is offering only minimal sanctions relief, a contentious issue for Iran, which is seeking substantial economic relief amid protests at home. The US aims for Iran to adhere to the agreement over a long period, with potential for more sanctions relief in the future if Tehran complies, the Wall Street Journal reported.
While the US would also like to address Iran’s ballistic missile program and support for regional militias, the current talks are focused primarily on Iran’s nuclear capabilities. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concerns about Iran’s missile development, particularly the possibility of intercontinental ballistic missiles, underscoring the complexities of reaching a comprehensive agreement.
Previously, it was reprorted that Iran had deployed more than 20 Ghadir-class midget submarines—boats designed for shallow-water ambush in the Persian Gulf.
The deployment comes as the US has increased its naval and air presence around the Persian Gulf in recent weeks, after President Donald Trump said that a US “armada,” including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and guided-missile destroyers, was heading toward Iran.
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