Iran-US Talks: Non-Aggression Pact Offer Signals Tehran’s Broader Diplomatic Ambitions

Iran used Tuesday’s indirect nuclear talks in Geneva not only to advance discussions on enrichment and IAEA oversight but also to present a broader diplomatic vision, including a non-aggression pact between Tehran and Washington and a package of economic incentives designed to appeal to the Trump administration. Foreign Minister Araghchi described the session as constructive, confirming agreement on guiding principles.
The talks, brokered by Oman and lasting about three and a half hours, covered the full range of nuclear-related issues while also touching on the wider framework within which any nuclear deal might be embedded. Iran’s offer of a non-aggression pact — and a possible extension to include Israel — represented an attempt to give the deal strategic depth beyond the purely technical question of uranium enrichment.
The nuclear substance of the talks centered on Iran’s offer to dilute its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium and to expand IAEA oversight at facilities damaged in recent US strikes. Iran also floated the possibility of a temporary enrichment suspension, though the duration remained unresolved, and Iran made clear that its right to enrich uranium domestically was not negotiable.
The US position remained demanding: complete cessation of domestic enrichment and comprehensive IAEA verification were the American bottom lines. Washington also showed no public interest in the broader diplomatic package Iran had presented, though the Trump administration’s history of deal-making left open the possibility of creative negotiating approaches.
The regional and domestic backdrop remained challenging. Khamenei made military threats toward US warships in the Gulf, Iran conducted live-fire exercises near the Strait of Hormuz, and inside Iran the aftermath of violent protests continued to roil the political system. The judiciary confirmed more than 10,000 protest-related prosecutions, and reformist politicians faced ongoing arrest campaigns even as the government negotiated in Geneva.