What does the US want from a deal with Iran?

The US and Iran are facing off in a battle for concessions once more, as they resume nuclear talks against the backdrop of military threats.

Officials said good progress was made at the latest round of negotiations in Geneva on Tuesday but added that a lot of work lies ahead.

Only a day later, the White House warned Tehran it would be “wise” to make a deal. The US has boosted its military deployment in the Middle East, signalling its readiness to attack at a moment's notice.

Iran’s nuclear programme was set back by US strikes on its atomic infrastructure last year. Tehran is determined to preserve its enrichment capability, while Washington wants to see it dismantled.

But there are signs that talks and heightened tension are no longer about the nuclear programme alone, and that President Donald Trump may be pursuing more seismic changes, including regime change in Iran.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran programme at the Middle East Institute, and asks him how the latest US-Iran showdown could play out.