U.S., Iran, Talks Resume As Military Conflict Looms
The U.S. and Iran held a third round of talks, hoping to avoid a military conflict and come to some sort of agreement over Iran’s nuclear program.
The Washington Post reported that Chief U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff and his fellow negotiator, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi in Geneva. Albusaidi is serving as an intermediary on behalf of Iran.
Although President Trump had claimed that he “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program in June strikes, the newspaper reported that international nuclear inspectors believe the facilities remain intact, but inaccessible and covered in rubble.
Also, it is believed that Iran already has 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium. Among Trump’s demands, the Washington Post reported, is that Iran surrender the uranium and agree to stop its nuclear program – forever.
The talks continue amid a large military buildup in the region by the U.S. NBC News reported that The Abraham Lincoln and the Ford aircraft carrier were in the region or on their way. The U.S. also has strengthened air defenses in places like Qatar and Saudia Arabia to protect U.S. forces already based in the region. The network reported that the U.S. also has numerous squadrons of jet fighters and military hardware deployed around the region.
Also, the talks happen in the shadow of massive protests that took place against the Iranian regime last month. Those protests ended in bloodshed, as thousands of protestors were killed by regime forces.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has said at least 7,000 people were killed in the crackdown, with thousands more deaths still being investigated. The regime still is arresting and executing protestors. For example, this week, the agency reported that Mohammad Amin Beiglari, 19, was sentenced to die.
Some reporting has placed the death toll of protestors much higher. Iran International reported that the true number of Iranian civilians killed in the massacres was over 36,000.
