Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps held military drills on Tuesday as the country said it was ready to strike a deal with the US to avoid the "gamble" of war.
The IRGC tested new firepower in the country's south, Iran's state TV reported, amid rising tensions with the US. President Donald Trump has positioned heavy military hardware in the Arabian Gulf, ready to strike Iran if he gives the order.
A third round of talks to avert war will take place in Geneva on Thursday, mediated by Oman. Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, said the country was ready to take any necessary steps to reach a deal.
Mr Takht-Ravanchi said any US strike on Iran would be "a real gamble" but that Tehran was willing to reach a deal with Washington as soon as possible.
Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and a top adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been expected to travel to Oman on Tuesday to convey Iran’s position on the nuclear talks. It was unclear by Tuesday evening whether the visit had taken place.
The two countries had agreed to reconvene after they said "progress was made" during the second meeting in Geneva last week. Both delegations are expected to present a detailed proposal for a potential agreement. The Trump administration expects to receive Iran's text by Tuesday, before the talks, a senior US official told Axios.
"We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests. A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.
But the possibility of reaching a deal to avert war remains uncertain, given the differences between what the US is demanding and what Iran says it is willing to concede.
The US wants Iran to end all uranium enrichment. Tehran insists it wants to preserve enrichment capability for peaceful purposes, but says it could agree to dilute its production if financial sanctions are lifted. Despite continuing negotiations, the risk of war still looms as both sides trade threats.
Reports suggest that US President Donald Trump is considering a limited initial strike on Iran to force it into a deal. But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday: "There is no such thing as a limited attack. An act of aggression is an act of aggression.” He said Iran's response to any such attack would be "firm and severe".
The US now has significant firepower stationed within striking range of Iran, with a second American aircraft carrier approaching the region. A former Pentagon chief has said the countdown for a US attack will begin when the USS Gerald R Ford carrier strike group, the world’s largest warship and the most advanced in the US Navy, arrives in the Middle East. It was seen in Greece on Monday.
The IRGC conducted live fire drills in the Strait of Hormuz last week, temporarily closing parts of the strategically important waterway. The exercise was seen as a warning sign to Washington.
Iran and Russia also held joint naval exercises on Thursday, "simulating the liberation of a hijacked ship". Tehran also warned airlines of plans to launch rockets across the south of the country as part of the joint exercises.
While President Trump has kept the door open for diplomacy, he has given Tehran a deadline to make a deal. Mr Trump denied reports on Monday that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Dan Caine, had warned him against attacking Iran.
“Gen Caine, like all of us, would like not to see war, but if a decision is made on going against Iran at a military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Gulf states have been urging dialogue and de-escalation through phone diplomacy, warning that the Middle East cannot afford more conflict. Mr Araghchi called Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday to discuss the latest regional developments and brief him on the progress of the nuclear talks.
Sheikh Abdullah emphasised "the vital role of successful US-Iran negotiations" in maintaining regional security and stability, state news agency Wam reported.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss relations between their countries and the latest developments in the region.
