Iran's FM says Geneva meeting with Witkoff likely Thursday

2026-02-22 - 17:27

Amid growing speculation about US military action against Iran, Reuters reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told CBS News' "Face the Nation" on Sunday that a diplomatic path remains viable – pointing to "a good chance" of resolution – with a Thursday encounter in Geneva alongside US envoy Steve Witkoff now viewed as likely. The interview took place as US President Donald Trump weighs whether to authorize strikes on Iran, as the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world, has reached the region amid heightened tensions. In Iran, protests against the regime continue at universities, with clashes between students and regime forces now underway at Khoja Nasir University. Washington earlier said Iran must submit a serious proposal that meets the minimum threshold required for another round of negotiations. The expectation is that such a proposal will arrive within two days, and if it is deemed sufficient, a meeting will take place in Europe this weekend. Intense scenes from Tehran's faculty of engineering as the Basij attacks the protests pic.twitter.com/afsfwSeCCo — Tehran_Link پشت‌پرده‌ای‌ها (@Posht_Parde) February 22, 2026 Israel Hayom reported on the Iranian message to the American team of Steve Witkoff and Charles Kushner, which included an update on an additional proposal taking shape in Tehran. According to an American source, the US response was a demand for the proposal to be detailed and expanded to cover the other issues on the table – primarily ballistic missiles. The source says Iran is demanding in return an American proposal with a fast-track timeline for lifting sanctions. According to the source, there will be no response to that demand for as long as Iran does not significantly soften its positions.