2 min readFeb 18, 2026 12:07 PM IST
Iran, on Tuesday (Feb 17), said that it has reached an understanding with the United States on the “guiding principles” as the two countries held a second round of talks in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Tehran highlighted that even though the talks with Washington were “constructive”, there was still work to be done.
After the talks concluded, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that both sides agreed to work further on draft texts for a potential agreement.
“Ultimately, we were able to reach broad agreement on a set of guiding principles, based on which we will move forward and begin working on the text of a potential agreement,” Araghchi told state TV.
“It was agreed that both sides would work further on draft texts for a potential agreement, after which the drafts would be exchanged, and a date for a third round would be set,” he said.
Vance says Iran ignoring Trump’s ‘red lines’
US Vice President JD Vance said that Iranians were yet to acknowledge and “work through” President Donald Trump’s “red lines”.
“In some ways, it went well. They agreed to meet afterward,” Vance told Fox News. “But in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.”
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As per one of Trump’s “red lines”, Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon, said Vance, stating that a nuclear Islamic Republic would eventually lead to an arms race across the world.
“The president of the United States is very much trying to find a solution here, whether it’s through diplomatic options or through another option, that means the Iranians cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said.
“We’re going to keep on working it, but of course, the president reserves the ability to say when he thinks that diplomacy has reached its natural end,” he said. “We hope we don’t get to that point, but if we do, that will be the president’s call.”
