A day before the Geneva nuclear talks US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that reaching a deal with Iran would be challenging. Speaking in Budapest Rubio said Iran’s decisions are often theological rather than geopolitical making diplomatic progress difficult.

Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in Geneva aiming for a fair and equitable deal. Araqchi stressed that Iran will not submit to threats and maintains that discussions on missiles are off the table. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is civilian and will only consider limits in exchange for sanctions relief.

Tensions escalated as Iran launched a military drill in the Strait of Hormuz testing naval and chemical defense capabilities. The US has deployed a second aircraft carrier strike group, adding to existing military assets in the region following previous June airstrikes alongside Israel.

The United States seeks to expand talks to include Iran’s missile stockpile while Israel demands dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Analysts say the outcome of Geneva talks will be crucial in determining both regional stability and the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.