The Trump administration has taken a significant step in nuclear negotiations with Iran, presenting a written proposal during the fourth round of talks on Sunday, according to a US official and two sources with direct knowledge, as reported by Axios. This marks the first time since talks began in early April that White House envoy Steve Witkoff has provided a formal document outlining US terms for a potential deal.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took the proposal to Tehran to consult with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and other senior officials. On Tuesday, while in Saudi Arabia, President Trump described the proposal as "an olive branch" but warned, "This is not an offer that will last forever. The time is right now for them to choose," according to Axios. The move signals a shift toward concrete negotiations after months of exploratory discussions.
Early in the talks, Araghchi presented Witkoff with a written document containing Iranian proposals during the first round, but Witkoff deemed it premature, prioritizing rapport-building, a source told Axios. By the third round in late April, Araghchi offered an updated document with Iran's ideas for a nuclear deal, which Witkoff accepted. US experts reviewed it, sending questions and seeking clarifications, while Iran responded with its own queries, per two sources cited by Axios. Meanwhile, Witkoff's team crafted a US proposal detailing parameters for Iran's civilian nuclear program, including monitoring and verification requirements.
The US position on whether Iran could enrich uranium under a deal has been unclear, with Witkoff and other officials giving mixed signals. The written proposal's clarity on this issue is a notable development, sources told Axios. A senior adviser to Khamenei told NBC News on Wednesday that Iran is open to a deal allowing low-level uranium enrichment for civilian purposes, surrendering its highly enriched uranium stockpiles, and accepting inspections in exchange for lifting all sanctions.
Witkoff briefed the UN Security Council last Wednesday, calling the US proposal "elegant" and "very big" but noting more progress is needed, according to meeting minutes shared with Axios and confirmed by another source. The proposal was handed to Araghchi in Oman on Sunday. A State Department official declined to comment when approached by Axios.
Witkoff expressed optimism about the fourth round's outcomes, which occurred just before Trump's Middle East trip, though a fifth round is yet to be scheduled, per Axios. Trump, meeting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim al-Thani on Wednesday, emphasized avoiding conflict, saying, "I hope you can help me with the Iran situation. It's a perilous situation, and we want to do the right thing," according to Axios. He added, "We're not going to let that happen," referencing the risk of war escalating uncontrollably.
On Thursday, Trump told reporters the US is nearing a deal, stating, "They agreed to the terms...they are not going to make nuclear dust," as reported by Axios. Senior diplomats from Iran and the E3 (France, UK, Germany) will meet in Istanbul on Friday, the first such meeting in two months. European diplomats have warned they will trigger "snapback" sanctions under the 2015 nuclear deal if no agreement is reached by August, according to Axios.
