Iran may offer US interim nuclear deal: Axios reveals details
Iran is preparing an interim nuclear deal with the US (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Tehran may propose to Washington during upcoming negotiations the establishment of a temporary nuclear agreement. In this way, Iran will attempt to avoid the military escalation threatened by the US, according to Axios.
Iranian leadership is considering this possibility amid the two-month deadline for negotiations on a new nuclear agreement set earlier by US President Donald Trump. At the same time, the American leader ordered the buildup of US military forces in the Middle East as a backup option in case diplomacy fails.
Sources from Western media revealed that the Iranians believe achieving a complex and high-tech nuclear agreement within two months is unrealistic. Therefore, Tehran seeks more time to avoid escalation.
"The Iranians seem to believe that a sustainable deal is unlikely to be achieved in the timeframe that President Trump has in mind. It might therefore be necessary to consider an interim agreement as a way station toward a final deal," said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, according to Axios.
Meanwhile, Iran's mission to the United Nations declined to comment to Western media on this issue.
An interim agreement between the US and Iran could include suspending part of Tehran's uranium enrichment activities, reducing its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, and providing UN inspectors with greater access to Iran's nuclear facilities, Axios reports.
Experts told Western journalists that these steps would only slightly extend the timeline for Iran to develop a nuclear bomb. However, they could help build trust for future negotiations on a comprehensive agreement.
The interim agreement could also include the extension of the snapback mechanism, which was part of the 2015 nuclear deal. The mechanism, which triggers UN Security Council sanctions against Iran if it violates the agreement, is set to expire in October this year.
Axios also notes that the interim agreement would likely include Iran's demand for President Trump to end his maximum pressure campaign on the country's economy.
US has intensified sanctions on Iran and is preparing for negotiations
This week, the US administration imposed two rounds of new sanctions against Iranian companies and individuals linked to the nuclear program and oil industry.
White House spokesperson Steve Witkoff is set to hold talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday in Oman.
While the US still asserts that the negotiations will be direct, the Iranians claim that they will be conducted through Omani mediators.
Iran threatens to expel IAEA inspectors and considers postponing 'nuclear talks'
On Thursday, former head of Iran's National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, who now serves as an advisor on foreign policy to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stated that ongoing military threats against Iran could lead to deterrent measures.
He also suggested that Iran might expel inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), halt cooperation with the nuclear agency, and potentially transfer enriched materials to safe locations outside UN control.
US is forcing Iran to sign a nuclear deal and threatens strikes
Recently, US President Donald Trump began threatening Iran with bombings if Tehran refuses to sign a nuclear deal with Washington.
In response, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei placed the country's armed forces on high alert.
Additionally, John Caves, a staff member at the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control, explained in a comment to RBC-Ukraine about whether Russia could act as a mediator between Iran and the US.
Yesterday, Trump stated that Israel could lead a potential military operation against Iran if the parties fail to reach an agreement on the nuclear program.
