US President Donald Trump hinted at Monday that the simmering nuclear talks with Iran may finally be heading in the right direction, with Tehran may agree to stop enriching uranium for 20 years in exchange for a larger diplomatic settlement package.
Trump, speaking about the talks, said, "Twenty years is enough," adding that Iran "can't have nuclear weapons." Speculation about an agreement between Washington and Tehran has flared up again after months of growing military tensions in the Gulf region.
The diplomatic deal is a response to an earlier volatile episode this year when the United States, Israel and Iran went head-to-head, including a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping lanes. Iran has since reopened the route as the US continues to deploy warships in the area.
New Negotiations Between US and Iran ongoing
Negotiators reportedly are currently working on a 14-point memorandum that could end the 2026 Gulf conflict and reduce the risk of a larger regional war. The agreement could also involve sanctions relief and restrictions desiring to prevent Iran from a nuclear weapons capability.
Dealmakers have also reported that an agreement was being discussed to release almost $20 billion in frozen Iranian assets as a way of forcing Tehran to relinquish enriched uranium stocks, Trump denied that any such direct transfer of money was in the cards. Meanwhile, Iran still thinks US proposals are unacceptable, says Tehran Officials.
Despite Washington's optimism, Iranian officials remain cautious and insist several American proposals are still unacceptable.
What Abbas Araghchi said?
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi reiterated that Tehran has "never wanted nuclear weapons" and maintains that its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful. Speaking during the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Araghchi said Iran remains open to confidence-building measures but admitted negotiations with the US have hit a temporary deadlock over enriched uranium stockpiles.
"The subject of our enriched material is a very complicated one," he said, adding that both sides had agreed to postpone the issue for later stages of negotiations.
What Is Iran's Nuclear Programme And Why Is It Controversial?
Iran's nuclear programme began with the US-sponsored "Atoms for Peace" project in 1957. Since then, it has built uranium enrichment sites in Natanz and Fordow, alongside research reactors and processing plants. Iran says the programme is intended for peaceful uses, including power generation and medical research, in line with its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
But the programme has also been at the heart of a decades-long rift between Iran and the United States and Israel, both of whom fear that the country could build nuclear weapons in the future. The rift has escalated into international sanctions, covert sabotage and military confrontations.