This comes after the second round of US-Iran nuclear talks brokered by Oman in Geneva on February 17, 2026. US Envoys **Steve Witkoff** (Special Envoy) and **Jared Kushner** (Trump’s son-in-law) met Iran’s Foreign Minister **Abbas Araghchi**. Both sides described the talks as “constructive” and “positive”, and made progress on “guiding principles” for a potential deal. Iran promised to submit a detailed proposal within two weeks to correct the shortcomings. A US official saw progress but continued disagreements; No success was achieved.
Amid the diplomacy, the US has increased its military presence: a second aircraft carrier strike group (USS Gerald R. Ford) joined the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region, along with dozens of warships, more than 50 additional fighter jets (F-35s, F-22s, F-16s through recent deployments tracked by flight data), air defense systems, and 150+ cargo Flights that are delivering weapons.
Rhetoric escalated ahead of the talks: President **Donald Trump** warned of “consequences” without a deal, citing past US capabilities (e.g., hinting at B-2 strikes in June 2025). Supreme Leader **Ayatollah Ali Khamenei** responded on
The tensions stem from the US withdrawal in 2018 from the 2015 JCPOA, which limited Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The current talks are aimed at resuming or replacing Iran’s advanced enrichment and regional proxy activities. While diplomacy continues, the buildup and Axios warnings indicate the risk of escalation is high if talks stall.
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