U.S. and Iran Gear Up for Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Aaron BoxermanFebruary 17, 2026 at 07:29 AM

AI Summary

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The U.S. and Iran are set to resume nuclear talks in Switzerland on Tuesday amid heightened tensions. Negotiators, including U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will meet in Geneva. President Trump has stated that he will be involved "indirectly" and has warned Iran to reach an immediate agreement or face a possible U.S. attack. This comes after a buildup of U.S. forces in the region and a crackdown on Iranian protests. The talks aim to address Iran's nuclear program, but disagreements remain over Iran's ballistic missile program and support for proxy militias. Regional countries fear that a potential U.S. strike and Iranian retaliation could destabilize the Middle East.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Air Force One 30% Geneva 40% Israel 50% Abbas Araghchi 50% Steve Witkoff 60% Switzerland ×260% Jared Kushner 60% Middle East ×480% Donald Trump ×790% United States ×795% Iran ×895%

Keywords

nuclear talks 100% u.s. iran relations 90% military escalation 70% possible attack 70% middle east 60% ballistic missile program 50% proxy militias 40% diplomacy 40%