US officials warn of Iranian threat to the US ahead of nuclear talks

BASSETERRE, Saint Kitts and Nevis/WASHINGTON - Senior Trump administration officials on Feb 25 made the case that Iran poses a major threat to the United States ahead of Feb 26 negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

US and Iranian negotiators are due to meet in Geneva on Feb 26, the third round of nuclear talks in 2026, as the US has built up one of its biggest military deployments in the Middle East ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic.

In his State of the Union speech on Feb 24, President Donald Trump

accused Iran of restarting its nuclear programme

, working to build missiles that “soon” would be capable of reaching the United States and of being responsible for roadside bombings that have killed US service members and civilians.

He has also warned that it will be a “very bad day” for Iran if no deal is reached to solve a longstanding dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Iran has threatened to strike American bases in the region if it is attacked.

Speaking to reporters during a trip to St. Kitts and Nevis, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Mr Trump’s comments.

“After their nuclear programme was obliterated, they were told not to try to restart it, and here they are,” Mr Rubio said.

“You can see them always trying to rebuild elements of it. They’re not enriching right now, but they’re trying to get to the point where they ultimately can.”

Mr Trump

ordered strikes on Iran in 2025

, claiming in July that they had “obliterated” the country’s nuclear facilities. His aides have claimed more recently that Iran is very close to having the ability to make nuclear bombs.

Mr Rubio said Iran also possessed a very large number of ballistic missiles that threaten US interests in the region and that it was trying to develop weapons that can reach the continental United States.

“Beyond just the nuclear programme, they possess these conventional weapons that are solely designed to attack America and attack Americans if they so choose to do so... They already possess weapons that can reach much of Europe already now, as we speak,” Mr Rubio said.

Tehran’s insistence on not discussing the topic of ballistic missiles in the Geneva talks was a “big problem”, Mr Rubio said, adding that he did not want to characterise the Feb 26 talks anything other than “the next opportunity to talk” even as he hoped for progress.

“Hopefully they’re productive but eventually we’ll have to have conversations more than just the nuclear programme.”

Iran has the largest stockpile of ballistic missiles in the Middle East, according to the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Iranian missiles have a self-imposed range of 2,000km, which officials in the past said was enough to protect the country since it covers the distance to Israel.

‘Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon’

Earlier in the day, Vice-President J.D. Vance said US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be meeting an Iranian delegation in Geneva on Feb 26 to assess whether an agreement can be reached.

“The principle is very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Mr Vance told reporters.

On Feb 24, Mr Trump also faulted the government in Tehran for the deaths of thousands of protesters during

recent anti-government demonstrations

, although the specific figure he cited - that 32,000 people had been killed - is much higher than most public estimates.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met mediator Mr Badr al-Busaidi, Oman’s foreign minister, following his arrival in Geneva on Feb 25 ahead of Feb 26’s talks, Iran’s Press TV reported.

Mr Araqchi raised with his Omani counterpart “Iran’s points and considerations regarding the nuclear issue and the lifting of the US’ illegal and unilateral sanctions,” the report said. REUTERS