Iran stated on Monday that the United States's position on Iran's nuclear program "has moved towards a more realistic one," ahead of a second round of US-Iran talks in Geneva. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Geneva for indirect negotiations with the US, which are mediated by Oman and set for Tuesday. At the same time, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards started military drills in the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for global oil and gas shipping. These talks follow previous talks in Muscat and come after US President Donald Trump threatened military action over Iran's crackdown on protesters and its nuclear program. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told IRNA, "A cautious assessment is that... the US position on the Iranian nuclear issue has moved towards a more realistic one." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, "We’re hopeful there’s a deal," and highlighted the preference for peaceful, negotiated solutions. Araghchi is also meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi for "deep technical discussion" before the talks. Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guards claim their war games prepare them against "potential security and military threats" in the Strait. The strait is strategic, as about 20% of global oil passes through. Iran has threatened to block it amid rising tensions. Iran’s deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi indicated Tehran might compromise on uranium stockpiles if US sanctions are lifted. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demands full removal of enriched uranium and nuclear enrichment capabilities as part of any deal. The whereabouts of Iran’s 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium is unknown since June. The talks continue amid strong US pressure and the ongoing risk of military tensions in the region.