Tehran launches missiles at Strait of Hormuz as US-Iran nuclear talks begin in Geneva | World News

At a time when tensions in the region are increasing, Iran launched a missile into the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, as indirect nuclear negotiations with the United States began in Geneva. While the United States is simultaneously increasing its military presence in the Middle East, Iran is conducting large-scale naval exercises in strategic waterways through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil passes.

The semi-official Tasnim News Agency, which is closely linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, reported that missiles fired from areas inside Iran and off its coasts successfully hit designated targets in the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking about the drills, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said, “Americans constantly say that they are sending warships to Iran. Of course, a warship is a dangerous military equipment. However, what is more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.”

Iranian state television said the Geneva talks would be limited to Iran’s nuclear program, excluding discussions on domestic policies or the recent crackdown on nationwide protests.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that military force could be used to force Iran to restrict its nuclear ambitions. Iran threatened retaliation. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump called Iran “typically a very tough negotiator” but expressed hope for a deal, saying, “I think they want to make a deal. I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led the Tehran delegation, met with the head of the UN nuclear watchdog in Geneva on Monday. He wrote about X: “I am in Geneva with real ideas to reach a fair and equitable agreement. What is not on the table is to bow to threats.”

The talks followed the first indirect round in Oman on February 6. While US ambassadors Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner headed to Geneva for the final tour, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who visited Budapest, emphasized that the administration preferred peaceful outcomes through negotiation.

Tensions in the Gulf intensified after Iran conducted a paramilitary exercise in the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman early on Monday. EOS Risk Group reported that sailors in the region received warnings of live-fire exercises in Iranian territorial waters.

The United States has also increased its naval deployment, sending the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, to join the USS Abraham Lincoln and other assets in the region. US forces recently shot down an Iranian drone near Lincoln and faced difficulties when Iran tried to intercept a US-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

The increased tensions come as Iran enters a 40-day mourning period following one of the deadliest days of the recent crackdown on nationwide protests, which activists say killed at least 7,015 people between January 8 and 9. The government blamed the incident on “violent actions by armed groups allegedly directed by foreign intelligence agencies”, and a memorial service is planned for the Grand Mosalla Mosque in Tehran.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi stated that Tehran may consider a compromise on the nuclear program if sanctions are eased. “The ball is in America’s court. They need to prove that they want to make a deal with us,” he told the BBC.

US-Iran negotiations aim to limit Iran’s nuclear program and prevent its proliferation. Iran maintains that its nuclear activities are peaceful, although it has previously enriched uranium to 60% near weapons-grade purity.