On Saturday, the United States launched a major offensive against Iran. Yet American and Iranian delegations had met twice in February in Geneva, without success. Late on Thursday evening, after long hours of talks described as “intense,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reported “progress” on social media. Following a second round of indirect negotiations in a matter of days in Geneva between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear program, the diplomat added that discussions would continue, mentioning a technical meeting “in Vienna in the coming days.” The two sides had also met in Muscat, the capital of Oman, in early February. The next day, Badr al-Busaidi, Oman’s foreign minister, who was acting as mediator, also welcomed the “significant progress” achieved the previous day on the shores of Lake Geneva. But on Saturday morning, US President Donald Trump surprised the world by announcing the launch of a military operation called “Epic Fury” on Iran. Together, the ...
