DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s top diplomat was traveling Sunday from Tehran to Geneva, where the second round of nuclear negotiations with the U.S. will take place, Iranian state media reported.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation left for the Swiss city after the first round of indirect talks took place in Oman last week. Oman will mediate the talks in Geneva, the IRNA state-run news agency reported on its Telegram channel.
Similar talks last year broke down after Israel launched what became a 12-day war on Iran, that included the U.S. bombing Iranian nuclear sites.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to agree to constrain its nuclear program. Iran has said it would respond with an attack of its own. Trump has also threatened Iran over its deadly crackdown on recent nationwide protests.
Gulf Arab countries have warned that any attack could spiral into another regional conflict.
The Trump administration has maintained that Iran can have no uranium enrichment under any detail, which Tehran says it will not agree to.
Iran continues to insist that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but officials however have increasingly threatened to pursue a nuclear weapon. Before the war in June, Iran has been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, just a short technical step away from weapons-grade levels.
Araghchi is also expected to meet with his Swiss and Omani counterparts, as well as the director general of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Earlier on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington remains interested in a diplomatic solution to ending its differences with Tehran, and that President Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were currently traveling for the new round of talks.
Trump said Friday the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, was being sent from the Caribbean to the Mideast to join other military assets the U.S. has built up in the region. He also said a change in power in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen.”
Rubio said recent military deployments in the Middle East were a protective measure aimed at shoring up the defenses of U.S. facilities and interests. Iran has threatened to attack U.S. bases in the region if Washington decides to strike. Tehran in June attacked the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, though no American or Qatari personnel were harmed.
“No one’s been able to do a successful deal with Iran, but we’re gonna try,” said Rubio at a news conference after meeting with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava. “We are focused on negotiations.” Trump in recent weeks has suggested that his priority is for Iran to scale back its nuclear program, while Iran has said it wants talks to solely focus on the nuclear program. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who earlier this week met with Trump in Washington, has been pressing for a deal that would neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile program and end its funding for proxy groups such as Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The Israeli prime minister said in a speech Sunday that any deal between the U.S. and Iran must make sure that “all enriched material has to leave Iran.”
A cleric and other people attend an annual rally marking 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — France inevitably racked up a record win against struggling Wales on Sunday and was the only unbeaten team in the Six Nations after two rounds.
Favored to win back-to-back titles, France scored eight tries, the first after just 88 seconds. The 54-12 scoreline eclipsed its previous high against Wales of 51-0 in 1998 at Wembley Stadium.
France didn't overpower Wales as it could easily have. Instead, France played sevens style, keeping the ball alive, offloading, stepping and slicing the Welsh apart. The loose and slippery nature of France's game — 28 line breaks — didn't allow Wales time to reset its defense.
The speed suited France's new and young centers, Pau clubmates Fabien Brau-Boirie, 20, and Émilien Gailleton, 22. They both touched down and Gailleton was replaced late by another debutant Noah Néné, 21. Flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert was the man of the match after scoring one try and assisting on three more.
“When you're pushed to the edge of the cliff you're capable of doing great things, but when you're being praised it can sometimes be hard to get fired up in a combat sport,” France coach Fabien Galthié said.
“There's great maturity in this team but also lots of young guys. And we need those (older) players to keep us on the straight and narrow and make sure we don't get carried away.”
Wales' Six Nations losing streak since 2023 was extended to 13 matches. The game attracted only 57,744 spectators, the smallest Wales home crowd since the tournament expanded in 2000.
Wales supporters wanting their side to work hard and fight to the end were rewarded, even though their team was outgunned everywhere. Wales kept France scoreless for more than 20 minutes in the first half and for the last 19 minutes of the match.
But the end result was familiar. Wales, yet to hire a full-time defense coach, has conceded 50-plus scores in five of its last six home matches, to England (68-14), Argentina (52-28), New Zealand (52-26) and South Africa (73-0).
“If you look at the athletes France have, if we kick a little too far or if there's an offload they come alive,” Wales coach Steve Tandy told the BBC. "You have to tip your hat to France and where they are as a team.
“For us it's transitioning, we're not where we want to be. Ultimately we're at this point in our journey.”
France was on the board after 88 seconds and had the bonus-point fourth try by halftime.
Gailleton crossed first, set up by Antoine Dupont, Theo Atissogbe and Charles Ollivon.
Left wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey then took a kick-pass from Jalibert and notched his 12th Six Nations try in 11 matches.
Bielle-Biarrey's initial break led to Jalibert sending Brau-Boirie flying in and France was 19-0 up after 15 minutes.
Wales won the restart and prop Rhys Carre eventually crashed over but Wales couldn't hold out France before halftime when right wing Atissogbe put in Jalibert for 26-7.
The second half was a procession for France with four more tries in 17 minutes.
Hooker Julien Marchand scored from a lineout drive, Attisogbe bagged a pair thanks to Bielle-Biarrey and Jalibert, and Ollivon grabbed the last. Thomas Ramos had target practice and converted seven of the eight tries.
Captain Dupont was rested before the hour mark. France welcome Italy in Lille next weekend.
Wales had the last say through replacement back Mason Grady and stays at home to face Scotland. There were still nearly 7,000 tickets unsold for that game.
“It's our job to make people want to come and watch games," Wales captain Dewi Lake told the BBC. “We're a side that are not getting results but all we can ask is that people stick with us, come on the journey with us, because we're growing as a team.”
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Wales's Archie Griffin, right, and Tomos Williams during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and France in Cardiff, Wales, Sunday Feb. 15, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
France's Thomas Ramos takes a conversion kick during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and France in Cardiff, Wales, Sunday Feb. 15, 2026. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey scores a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and France in Cardiff, Wales, Sunday Feb. 15, 2026. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
France's Matthieu Jalibert, left, in action during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and France in Cardiff, Wales, Sunday Feb. 15, 2026. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
France's Fabien Brau-Boirie scores a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and France in Cardiff, Wales, Sunday Feb. 15, 2026. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
