Scoop: U.S. presented Iran with nuclear deal proposal
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Witkoff in Doha. Photo: Karim Jaafar/AFP via Getty
The Trump administration gave Iran a proposal for a nuclear deal during the fourth round of negotiations on Sunday, a U.S. official and two other sources with direct knowledge tell Axios.
Why it matters: It was the first time since the nuclear talks started in early April that White House envoy Steve Witkoff presented a written proposal to the Iranians.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took the proposal back to Tehran for consultations with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian and other top officials.
- President Trump said Tuesday in Saudi Arabia that he'd presented "an olive branch" to the Iranians but stressed "this is not an offer that will last forever. The time is right now for them to choose."
Behind the scenes: During the first round of talks, Araghchi gave Witkoff a written document with several Iranian proposals. Witkoff told Araghchi it was too soon for that and he wanted to build rapport first, a source with knowledge of that meeting said.
- During the third round of talks in late April, Araghchi gave Witkoff an updated document with Iranian ideas for a nuclear deal. This time, Witkoff took the document.
- A U.S. team of experts studied it and sent the Iranians a list of questions and requests for clarification. The Iranians replied and added questions of their own, two sources said.
- Meanwhile, Witkoff and his team prepared a U.S. proposal laying out the Trump administration's parameters for an Iranian civilian nuclear program and requirements for monitoring and verification, the sources said.
Between the lines: Witkoff and other officials have given contrasting answers as to whether and to what extent Iran would be able to enrich uranium under a deal, so it's significant that his team laid out the U.S. position in writing.
- A senior adviser to Khamenei told NBC News Wednesday that Iran is prepared to sign a deal that allows it to enrich only to the lower levels needed for civilian uses and requires it to give up its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium — with inspectors verifying compliance — in exchange for lifting all sanctions.
Behind the scenes: Witkoff briefed the UN Security Council last Wednesday and described the U.S. proposal as "elegant" and "very big" but stressed more progress was needed in the negotiations, according to minutes of the meeting shared with Axios and confirmed by another source with knowledge.
- Witkoff gave the proposal to Araghchi on Sunday in Oman, the sources said. A State Department official declined to comment.
State of play: Witkoff was encouraged by the results of the fourth round of talks, which took place a day before Trump set off on his Middle East trip. A fifth round hasn't been scheduled yet.
- "I hope you can help me with the Iran situation. It's a perilous situation, and we want to do the right thing," Trump told Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim al-Thani when they met Wednesday.
- Trump stressed he wants to avoid a war, "because things like that get started and they get out of control. I've seen it over and over again... we're not going to let that happen."
The latest: In a briefing with reporters on Thursday Trump said the U.S. is close to a deal with Iran and stressed the talks that are taking place "are very serious".
- "They agreed to the terms...they are not going to make nuclear dust," he said.
What's next: Senior diplomats from Iran and the E3 (France, U.K., Germany) are expected to meet in Istanbul of Friday for the first such meeting in two months.
- The three European powers have decided to trigger "snapback" sanctions under the 2015 nuclear deal if no new deal is reached by August, European diplomats say.
