The US has proposed a plan, which will allow Iran to continue enriching uranium in small amounts for civilian purposes while the two sides work on a bigger nuclear deal. The goal is to stop Iran from moving closer to making a nuclear weapon.
"President Trump has made it clear that Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday. She confirmed that special envoy Steve Witkoff sent a "detailed and acceptable" proposal to Iran. Witkoff has been leading the effort.
About The Proposal
The deal is meant to be a temporary solution between what Iran is doing now - enriching uranium close to weapons-grade - and what the US wants - to stop all enrichment.
The proposal was given to Iran over the weekend, and they are expected to respond in the next few days.
For now, Iran can enrich uranium at low levels while the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and others form a regional consortium to build new nuclear fuel facilities.
These would provide fuel for power plants. Once Iran starts getting the benefits, it will have to stop enriching uranium in the country.
Iran's Resistance
Iran has made it clear that it will not give up its right to enrich uranium.
"We do not need anyone's permission to enrich uranium," Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said, as per The NY Times. He added, "Without respecting our right to enrich uranium, there will be no agreement."
Araghchi said Iran would send a proper response soon and hoped the issue could be solved through diplomacy. Iranian officials are worried about shutting down their main nuclear sites at Natanz and Fordow, which they see as important national achievements. They worry that many scientists working there might leave if the sites shut down.
The Consortium
The proposed consortium, overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), would supply nuclear fuel to Iran and nearby countries for peaceful use.
The US wants the facility outside Iran, but Iran prefers islands like Kish or Qeshm to keep its enrichment rights visible to the world.
Past Deals
Iran's trust in US promises remains low. Officials in Tehran have questioned what guarantees Trump or his successors offer to prevent a repeat of his 2018 withdrawal from the Obama-era nuclear deal.
During his first term, Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He called the deal a "horrible one-sided deal" that failed to stop Iran's nuclear ambitions and let the country continue developing its nuclear programme.
