Iran says 'guiding principles' agreed with US at nuclear talks

 Iran has said that it has reached an understanding with the United States on the “guiding principles” to resolve the long-standing dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme; however, there was still work needed to be done. The second round of talks between the two countries in Geneva on Tuesday was initiated by Oman, which also hosted the first round in Muscat earlier this month. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian media that the talks were “constructive”, highlighting 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.

Vance says Iran ignoring Trump’s ‘red lines’: Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance has said that Iranians are yet to acknowledge and “work through” President Donald Trump’s “red lines”. “In some ways, it went well. They agreed to meet afterwards,” 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.” He said that one of Trump’s “red lines” states that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon. “There are a number of things that make it clear that they are interested in acquiring nuclear weapons,” Vance said. “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,” he said.

Iran temporarily closes the Strait of Hormuz: Iran, on Tuesday (Feb 17), temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz for live fire drills as it held the second round of talks with Washington. As the talks began, Iranian media announced the closure of the key international waterway, following which it fired live missiles towards the Strait of Hormuz. The projectiles, according to the Tasnim news agency, hit their targets in the Strait of Hormuz.