The third round of negotiations between the United States and Iran to discuss Iran's nuclear issue began on the 26th (local time) at the residence of the ambassador of Oman to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
Shortly after the talks began, AFP reported that the U.S. Navy's Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, left the naval base on the Greek island of Crete in the Mediterranean. The Gerald R. Ford is reportedly heading toward the Israeli coast.
The Gerald R. Ford set sail three days after docking at the Crete naval base. It is seen as a move by the United States to pressure Iran ahead of what is effectively the final round of talks.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on the 19th, "The time given to them (Iran) to reach a deal will be at most about 10 to 15 days."
During the State of the Union address on the 24th, President Trump also said, "They (Iran) say they want a deal, but we have not yet heard that secret word," adding, "It is, 'We will never have nuclear weapons.'"
As in the previous two rounds, Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff represented the U.S. side at the talks. On the Iranian side, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attended.
The Financial Times (FT) reported, citing sources, that Iran will offer opportunities for U.S. corporations to invest in Iran's energy industry in order to engage President Trump in negotiations.
There were also reports that Iran proposed diluting its 60% enriched uranium, estimated at about 400 kg, and easing its uranium enrichment activities to around 5%. However, the United States is demanding complete denuclearization.