Tehran is ready to accept concessions in negotiations with the US on its nuclear program if the United States meets its demands, an Iranian official says
The front page of an Iranian newspaper informing about the outcome of the US-Iran negotiations Photo: Fatemeh Bahrami / AFP / Profimedia
Iran has announced that it is willing to accept concessions in negotiations with the US regarding its nuclear program, in exchange for lifting sanctions and recognizing its right to enrich uranium, in an attempt to avoid an attack from the US, Reuters reports, according to News.ro.
Both sides remain deeply divided – even on the extent and order of implementation of measures to ease severe US sanctions – after two rounds of negotiations, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.
However, Iran has been offering new concessions since the end of last week's negotiations, when the sides appeared far apart and headed for a military conflict. Analysts say the move suggests Tehran is trying to keep diplomacy alive and avoid a major US attack.
The official said Tehran would seriously consider a combination of sending half of its most enriched uranium abroad, diluting the rest and participating in the creation of a regional enrichment consortium — an idea raised periodically in years of Iran-related diplomacy.
Iran would do so in exchange for the US recognizing Iran's right to “peaceful nuclear enrichment” under a deal that would also include the lifting of economic sanctions, the official said.
In addition, Iran has offered American companies the opportunity to participate as contractors in Iran's major oil and gas industries, the official said, as part of negotiations to resolve decades-long disputes over Tehran's nuclear activities.
“Within the economic package being negotiated, the United States has also been offered serious investment opportunities and tangible economic interests in Iran's oil industry,” the official said.
Iran seeks “logical timetable” for lifting sanctions
“The latest round of negotiations has shown that US ideas on the scope and mechanism of lifting sanctions differ from Iran's demands. Both sides need to reach a logical timetable for lifting sanctions,” the official said. “This roadmap must be reasonable and based on mutual interests.”
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday that he expected to meet with US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff in Geneva on Thursday, adding that there was still a “good chance” of a diplomatic solution.
Araqchi said on Friday that he expected to have a draft counter-proposal ready within days, while Trump said he was considering limited military strikes.
Citing officials on both sides and diplomats in the Gulf and Europe, Reuters reported on Friday that Tehran and Washington were moving rapidly toward a military conflict as hopes for a diplomatic solution faded.
On Sunday, Witkoff said the president was curious as to why Iran had not yet “capitulated” and agreed to curtail its nuclear program.
“Why, under this pressure, with the maritime and naval power there, why didn't they come to us and say: “We declare that we do not want weapons, so here is what we are prepared to do”?
And yet, it's pretty hard to get them in that position,” Witkoff told Fox News.
“Why didn't they capitulate?”. Trump is puzzled by Iran's refusal to budge, his special envoy says
