U.S. Is Negotiating an Iran Deal That Would Buy Time, Again

US Iran deal: Secret talks seek nuclear pause as Trump weighs options

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

President Donald Trump’s administration has reopened talks with Iran on a limited nuclear agreement that would freeze Tehran’s uranium enrichment in exchange for partial sanctions relief, according to officials involved in the discussions.

The proposed deal would not replace the 2015 nuclear accord but would buy Washington 18-24 months of restrictions on Iran’s atomic program while maintaining most economic sanctions.

The negotiations mark a reversal from Trump’s decision to abandon the original deal in 2018. Broader sanctions relief remains off the table unless Iran makes additional concessions on its missile program and regional activities. The State Department has authorized European diplomats to serve as intermediaries in recent weeks after a secret Oval Office meeting between Trump and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, according to congressional briefings reviewed by GlobalBeat.

Trump described his current approach as “temporary insurance” during his State of the Union address. He told ambassadors from France and Germany that preventing nuclear weapons remained his top priority. The White House subsequently instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to draft new regulations allowing $20 billion in Iranian oil revenue held in South Korean accounts to be used for humanitarian purchases. Officials stressed the move would not violate existing sanctions since the funds were already Iranian and earmarked for civilian products.

The Iranians submitted their response through the Swiss embassy in Tehran. They offered to cap enrichment at 60 purity and permit intrusive inspections. In return, Tehran requested limited banking channel access. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conveyed the proposals during separate negotiations in Oman and Japan. Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, authorized the overture after Israel threatened to attack nuclear sites, according to senior Iranian advisors who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The EU3 grouping of Britain, France, and Germany is drafting implementation timelines. Diplomatic sources familiar with a recent Brussels meeting confirmed Tehran’s willingness to extend monitoring periods beyond current agreement standards. French President Emmanuel Macron said in a Thursday press conference that both sides were interested in an informal arrangement. Macron warned the window for diplomacy was narrower than in 2015. He attributed the urgency to upcoming elections in several major countries.

European officials doubt a comprehensive deal is achievable before Iran acquires weapons-grade material. The country is now estimated to possess enough enriched uranium for 4-5 bombs. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported Monday that Iran’s nuclear stockpile had reached a new high. In a letter to board members, director Rafael Grossi urged Tehran to halt enrichment immediately. Grossi acknowledged inspectors had been denied access to some centrifuge facilities since March.

President Trump traveled to Florida Wednesday and planned further consultations with national security advisor Keith Kellogg. The discussions center on whether to allow Iran to export an additional 150,000 barrels of oil per day under the deal terms. Any export hike would require a specific Treasury license, a process that typically takes weeks but could be expedited for political reasons. Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters at the Capitol that Republicans supported talks as long as no upfront concessions were given to Iran.

Democrats urged the administration to rejoin the full Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Senator Chris Van Hollen warned Trump against repeating “Obama’s mistakes” by offering piecemeal relief. The Maryland Democrat said partial sanctions easing would allow Iran to advance its nuclear program without comprehensive oversight. Such arrangements merely postponed Iran’s inevitable nuclear breakout capability, Van Hollen told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Committee chair Senator Bill Cassidy responded that the GOP majority would oppose any deal requiring Senate ratification.

Iranian officials claimed they were pursuing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. At Friday prayers in Tehran, supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei denounced “Western hypocrisy” while acknowledging “productive discussions” with European envoys. Separately, Revolutionary Guards commander General Hossein Salami vowed to continue military support for regional proxies. The militias have launched at least 40 attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria since February. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh described the rocket assaults as “vicious.”

The talks could stave off Israeli military action by tightening weapons inspections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet to discuss potential attacks on Iranian nuclear sites if diplomacy fails. The cabinet approved an intelligence operation to analyze Israel’s military options with the Treasury Department separately approving an additional billion dollars’ worth of US bunker-busting bombs. Israeli defense officials maintained their readiness to act if Iran crosses agreed enrichment thresholds.

Background

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action curbed Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Under the deal, Iran accepted temporary enrichment limits in return for relief from sanctions. President Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement in 2018. He reimposed sweeping economic sanctions that caused Iran’s currency to collapse and slashed oil exports by 80 percent. Tehran responded by steadily violating limits on uranium enrichment. By 2023, inspectors discovered 84 percent enriched uranium particles.

Since Trump’s election, the United States and its allies have expanded the global embargo against Iran. The sanctions have covered finance, shipping, metals trading, and petroleum exports. Iran has survived by selling crude to China at discounted prices and increasing domestic production of gasoline. Trump’s Treasury Department has continued the “maximum pressure” campaign. Entities doing business with Tehran now face secondary sanctions.

What’s Next

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will brief G7 foreign ministers in Turin next week. The gathering is expected to produce a joint statement supporting renewed negotiations. Tehran has signaled it could finalize any outline agreement within six weeks in exchange for incremental relief. Trump said he would look at options after April if Iran makes verifiable commitments. Israeli officials plan to lobby the US Congress during Netanyahu’s upcoming visit about the risks of any partial agreement.

The temporary framework risks collapsing if either side demands additional measures. Iran retains enough uranium to threaten weapons breakout within weeks. Trump officials offered mixed signals about their intention to uphold a temporary framework if Iran accelerates enrichment.