The United States and Iran will continue negotiations next week, and US media said the risk of war is

**Xinhua News Agency**

ABC News, citing sources, reported that Trump is also considering large-scale military operations involving sustained strikes on numerous targets over a period of time. The report added that in recent days, some Republicans and Trump administration officials have privately advocated for Israel to lead strikes against Iran, rather than the United States initiating hostilities. The Associated Press noted that while the U.S. and Iran will continue talks next week, the risk of war between the two countries is “looming” as the U.S. masses a large air and naval force in the Middle East.

According to reports from Xinhua News Agency correspondents abroad, the third round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran concluded on February 26 in Geneva, Switzerland. Iran stated that the talks made “good progress,” and the two sides will continue negotiations next week. Meanwhile, the United States continued to step up war preparations, with U.S. President Trump receiving a briefing from the U.S. military on military options against Iran on the same day. Some U.S. media outlets believe the risk of a U.S.-Iran war is “looming.”

The indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran on that day were held in two sessions—morning and afternoon—at the diplomatic mission of Oman in Geneva. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. demanded Iran dismantle its major nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, and ship all remaining enriched uranium to the United States. However, Iran’s state television reported during the talks that Iran refused to transfer its enriched uranium abroad. Yassine Hazrati, head of the Iranian government’s Information Committee, wrote on social media: “Uranium enrichment activities will continue as needed, and no nuclear material will be shipped out of Iran.”

After the talks concluded, mediator Omani Foreign Minister Badr said on social media that the talks made “significant progress.” Following consultations between the U.S. and Iranian representatives with their respective governments, negotiations will resume as soon as possible, with “technical-level discussions” to be held next week in Vienna, the capital of Austria.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi made a similar statement, saying the talks made “good progress” and that “more in-depth consultations will continue on issues necessary to reach an agreement, including the lifting of sanctions and steps related to the nuclear issue.” The two sides’ technical teams plan to begin technical discussions and related reviews in Vienna on March 2, with the next round of talks expected to be held within a week.

Araghchi said this round of talks was one of the most serious and longest-lasting nuclear negotiations to date. The two sides reached an “in-depth understanding” but still have differences in some areas. He emphasized that Iran and the U.S. are “closer to consensus on some key issues”.

U.S. Special Envoy Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Kushner participated in the talks as U.S. representatives but made no public comment on the outcome. An anonymous U.S. official told Axios after the talks that the day’s negotiations were “positive” but provided no further details. Earlier that day, the outlet reported that Witkoff and Kushner were “disappointed” with what the Iranian side conveyed in the first phase of the talks.

The U.S. has continued to exert military pressure on Iran in recent days, massing large-scale forces in the Middle East. According to Greece’s *Ta Nea*, the U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, left the naval base at Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete on the morning of February 26, heading for the Middle East and expected to arrive in Israel within 24 hours. The USS Ford is seen as the “final piece of the puzzle” in U.S. military deployments against Iran; once in place, it will form a “dual-carrier” configuration with the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East.

ABC News reported that on the same day the third round of U.S.-Iran talks was held, U.S. Central Command Commander General Kurilla, responsible for military operations in the Middle East, briefed Trump on possible military options against Iran. One of Trump’s options is a limited strike on Iran’s ballistic missile launch sites and nuclear facilities as a warning to force Tehran to accept Trump’s demands. Citing sources, the report said Trump is also considering large-scale military operations involving sustained strikes on numerous targets over a period of time. It added that in recent days, some Republicans and Trump administration officials have privately advocated for Israel to lead strikes against Iran, rather than the United States initiating hostilities.

The Associated Press noted that while the U.S. and Iran will continue talks next week, the risk of war between the two countries is “looming” as the U.S. masses a large air and naval force in the Middle East.

**Source: Xinhua News Agency**

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