TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emerged from the second round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday with an upbeat assessment, saying the two sides have a "clearer picture of what needs to be done."

He told Iran's state television that "guiding principles" were agreed upon to draft a potential text for a deal. Yet he stressed that both sides still hold "certain positions" and that narrowing those differences would take time, while the date for the next round remains undecided.

Tehran's optimism, however, sits against a backdrop of hardened rhetoric and strategic posturing.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds the final say in Iran's key foreign and domestic matters, reiterated Iran's refusal to concede to US preconditions on the same day as the diplomats convened in Geneva. Khamenei described Washington's approach in the nuclear talks as "foolish" and asserted that the outcome must not be predetermined. He directly addressed President Donald Trump's recent statements, saying he is incapable of forcing regime change in Iran.