United States President Donald Trump has said he will be involved “indirectly” in the second round of high-stakes nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran, scheduled to take place in Geneva on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, Trump described the upcoming discussions as significant. “I’ll be involved in those talks, indirectly. And they’ll be very important,” he said, adding, “Iran is a very tough negotiator.”

The remarks came as Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Geneva for meetings ahead of the indirect negotiations with US officials.

Tensions in the Gulf region remain elevated ahead of the talks. The US has deployed a second aircraft carrier to the region, while Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has warned that any attack on Iran would trigger a broader regional conflict.

Trump also referred to last June’s escalation, when the US joined Israel in a 12-day conflict with Iran, during which three Iranian nuclear sites were bombed. The strikes derailed earlier indirect negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

“I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal,” Trump said, suggesting that Iran may now be more motivated to reach an agreement.

Key sticking points

Despite cautious optimism from Washington, significant hurdles remain.

The US has demanded that Iran halt uranium enrichment on its soil and has sought to expand the scope of the talks to include non-nuclear issues such as Iran’s missile programme.

Tehran, however, insists its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes and has made clear it will only discuss limitations on its programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Iranian officials have rejected the idea of zero uranium enrichment and ruled out negotiations over missile capabilities.

‘Fair and equitable deal’

Araghchi said upon arrival in Geneva that he was there “with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” adding in a post on X that “What is not on the table: submission before threats.”

He also met with Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for technical discussions.

Tehran had previously suspended cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog following US and Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities.

The IAEA has been pressing Iran to clarify the status of its 440kg stockpile of highly enriched uranium and to allow full inspections to resume at key sites, including Natanz nuclear facility, Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, and Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center — all of which were targeted during the strikes.

While both sides have signaled a willingness to engage, fundamental disagreements over uranium enrichment and the scope of negotiations continue to cast uncertainty over the outcome of the Geneva talks.