An anonymous United States official confirmed on Monday that the US will resume nuclear talks with Iran this Thursday in Geneva, moving forward with diplomacy as Washington maintains a massive military buildup in the region to pressure Tehran, AFP reported.

The scheduling confirmation follows a strict 48-hour ultimatum issued Sunday, in which the US demanded a comprehensive nuclear proposal from Iran as a precondition for extending the high-level talks into Friday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to sit down with mediators, serving as go-betweens for him and US Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi publicly backed the Thursday timeline, expressing optimism for a “positive push to go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal.” Araghchi echoed this sentiment in a recent CBS interview, stating there remains a “good chance” for a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear program.

Earlier this week, US officials warned that negotiators would only stay for Friday’s session if Iran submitted an acceptable, comprehensive proposal within a 48-hour window.

The Trump administration continues to insist on a strict “zero enrichment” policy inside Iran. However, during last week’s talks in Geneva, Witkoff and Kushner indicated the US might consider limited “token enrichment” if Tehran can definitively prove it has blocked every possible pathway to a nuclear weapon.

Despite some reported progress, US Vice President JD Vance noted major gaps remain, emphasizing that Iran has not yet acknowledged or accepted the President’s red lines. Meanwhile, Senator Lindsey Graham cautioned against taking the military option off the table, arguing that avoiding engagement ignores the consequences of “letting evil go unchecked.”

Adding urgency to the diplomatic push, Witkoff warned over the weekend that Iran could be “a week away” from enriching uranium to bomb-making levels if it rebuilds its program.

Currently, however, Iran’s capabilities are severely degraded. Following coordinated US and Israeli strikes in June 2025 that destroyed Iran’s centrifuges, weaponization program, major nuclear facilities, and senior scientific leadership, Tehran lacks the operational machinery and stockpile access needed to
immediately produce a weapon.