2025 (early) – The United States and Iran hold informal talks in Oman, which later serve as a reference point for the more serious Geneva negotiations, with officials describing the Geneva meeting as “more serious than earlier Oman talks” [1].

Feb 16, 2026 – Delegations from the United States, Iran, Russia, and Ukraine convene in Geneva for indirect negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and the Ukraine‑Russia conflict, marking the first multilateral session of the diplomatic effort [3].

Feb 17, 2026 – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conducts live‑fire drills, firing missiles into the Strait of Hormuz and temporarily closing the waterway for several hours, the first announced closure since U.S. threats began, disrupting a route that carries about 20 % of global oil shipments [4].

Feb 17, 2026 – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tells a UN disarmament conference that “a new window has opened” for a sustainable agreement and describes the Geneva meeting as “positive,” indicating optimism about the talks [4][1].

Feb 17, 2026 – President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, affirms U.S. involvement in the Geneva process and warns that Iran “remains fully prepared to defend itself against any threat or act of aggression,” while omitting details of the Strait‑of‑Hormuz drills [4].

Feb 17, 2026 – Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cautions the United States that “the strongest army in the world might sometimes receive such a slap that it cannot get back on its feet,” warning against premature military pressure on Iran [4].

Feb 17, 2026 – The U.S. carrier strike group centered on the USS Gerald R. Ford departs the Caribbean for the mid‑Atlantic, delaying its arrival to the Persian Gulf by more than a week, a move intended to signal deterrence while the talks proceed [4].

Feb 17, 2026 – After 3½ hours of discussion, Iranian and U.S. negotiators leave Geneva having agreed only on a vague “set of guiding principles,” without clarifying whether the focus includes Iran’s ballistic‑missile program, and both sides acknowledge many details remain to be discussed [3][1].

Feb 17, 2026 – U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and former senior adviser Jared Kushner head the American delegation in Geneva, operating as part of Trump’s private “freelance peacekeeping” team and preparing for a forthcoming Board of Peace session in Washington [2][3].

Feb 17, 2026 – Vice President JD Vance tells Fox News that President Trump has set “red lines” in the Iran talks, says the negotiations “went well” in some respects, and notes that Iran has not yet acknowledged those red lines, while also stating Trump can end diplomacy when it “reaches its natural end” [1][3].

Feb 17, 2026 – U.S. officials say Iran will submit detailed proposals within two weeks to narrow remaining gaps, a timeline that both sides view as a chance to move from guiding principles to a concrete agreement [1][3].

Feb 17, 2026 – The Department of Homeland Security remains partially shut down as the White House rejects a Democratic counteroffer on immigration enforcement reforms, with officials describing the two sides as “pretty far apart” on any agreement [1].

Feb 17, 2026 – Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko reports that 1,100 residential buildings lack heat after Russian attacks on a nearby power plant, underscoring the humanitarian toll of the ongoing war in Ukraine [1].

Feb 17, 2026 – Ukraine’s lead negotiator Rustem Umerov says the Geneva talks on practical issues will continue the next day, reflecting ongoing efforts to manage the Russia‑Ukraine conflict alongside the Iran track [1].

Feb 17, 2026 – A 20‑point Gaza ceasefire plan, brokered by Witkoff and Kushner’s team, ends active fighting, secures the return of hostages, pledges $5 billion for reconstruction, and calls for an international stabilization force, yet Hamas’s disarmament stalls and recent Israeli airstrikes threaten the truce’s durability [2].

Feb 17, 2026 – Critics highlight concerns about Witkoff’s past praise of Putin and a leaked transcript showing him coaching a Russian official, questioning the credibility and motives of Trump’s private diplomatic envoys [2].

Feb 2026 (polling) – Nationwide polling shows a majority of U.S. adults oppose entering a new war with Iran, adding domestic pressure on the Trump administration’s diplomatic push [2].

Early Mar 2026 (expected) – Iran is slated to return to Geneva with detailed proposals within a two‑week window, aiming to transform the guiding‑principles framework into a concrete deal, as indicated by U.S. officials [1][3].

Date TBD, 2026 – A Board of Peace session is planned in Washington, where Witkoff, Kushner, and other private envoys will present their diplomatic progress and coordinate next steps in the Iran, Ukraine, and Gaza tracks [2].