After Geneva Talks, US Says It Will Deter Iran From Acquiring Nuclear Weapons 'One Way Or Another'

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 17:28 IST

US vows to block Iran from nuclear arms. Geneva talks set principles, but US military buildup and Iran's Hormuz drills raise tensions.

The US will prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons “one way or other," US Energy Secretary Chris Wright warned on Wednesday, a day after officials from both countries met in Geneva.

“They’ve been very clear about what they would do with nuclear weapons. It’s entirely unacceptable," Wright told reporters in Paris on the sidelines of meetings of the Energy Agency.

“So one way or the other, we are going to end, deter Iran’s march towards a nuclear weapon," he said.

The officials from both countries held talks in Geneva on Tuesday with the aim to prevent the possibility of US military intervention to curb Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Following the talks, AFP quoted Iran saying that they had agreed on “guiding principles" for a deal to avoid conflict.

Also Read: Amid Nuclear Talks, Iran Signals Openness To Verification As US Military Build-Up Heightens Tensions

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the discussions as “more constructive" than previous rounds, saying both sides would now begin drafting texts for a potential agreement. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi also said “good progress" had been made but cautioned that significant work remained.

US Vice President JD Vance, however, said Tehran had not yet acknowledged all of Washington’s red lines.

Washington has stepped up its military presence in the region, deploying the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Gulf and indicating a second carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, would follow soon. Satellite imagery has previously shown US carrier strike groups operating within range of Iran.

Separately, open-source intelligence accounts have reported increased US air force activity linked to the region. Social media posts by OSINTdefender claimed movements of more than 40 US fighter aircraft alongside surveillance and early warning planes transiting through the United Kingdom en route to the Middle East. News18 could not independently verify these claims.

Meanwhile, Iran has sought to project its own military readiness, launching war games in the Strait of Hormuz this week and warning it could restrict parts of the strategic waterway during the exercises.

News world After Geneva Talks, US Says It Will Deter Iran From Acquiring Nuclear Weapons 'One Way Or Another'

Read More