According to Khabaronline, The U.S. State Department said late Wednesday that it had targeted 18 Iranian officials, telecommunications industry executives, and their immediate family members.
The individuals were accused of what Washington called “preventing the Iranian people from exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
According to reports, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Pigott said in a statement, “We will continue to use all available tools to expose and hold accountable Iranian officials and others for these abuses.”
The visa restrictions come as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is engaged in negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.
Speaking after the conclusion of the second round of indirect talks in Geneva, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, “The second round of indirect negotiations was held, and we had good discussions. Compared to the previous round, more serious issues were raised.”
He added that a more constructive atmosphere prevailed during the latest round, with various proposals put forward and discussed in detail.
Araghchi said the two sides were able to reach overall agreement on a set of guiding principles that will form the basis for future negotiations. “This does not mean we can quickly reach an agreement,” he noted.
“It means the process has begun, and we hope it will conclude as soon as possible. We are prepared to devote sufficient time to it. Naturally, once we move into drafting the text, the work becomes more detailed and complex.”
He described the latest talks as representing good progress compared to the previous session, adding that a clearer path forward now exists.
No specific timeline has been set for the next round. Araghchi said both sides agreed to work on draft texts for a potential agreement, exchange them, and then determine a date for a third round of talks.
Responding to a question about whether the negotiations are back on track, he said, “We do not yet have a roadmap in that sense, but we now have a clearer picture of what needs to be done and what steps must follow.
Both sides still hold positions, and bringing them closer will take effort. However, we at least now have guiding principles and a clearer path on which to proceed.”
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