US demands open-ended nuclear deal with Iran 'for life'
Steve Witkoff (Photo: Getty Images)
Special representative of Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff, said during a private meeting that any agreement with Iran must impose permanent limits on Tehran’s nuclear program, according to Axios.
Read also: Trump says negotiations with Iran have main goal
“We start with the Iranians with the premise that there is no sunset provision. Whether we get a deal or not, our premise is: you have to behave for the rest of your lives,” Witkoff said during a meeting with AIPAC donors on February 24 in Washington, sources quoted him as saying.
The special representative also said that the current US–Iran negotiations are focused on nuclear issues.
However, even if a deal is reached, the Trump administration would like to hold additional negotiations on Iran’s missile program and its support for proxy militias.
At this stage, said Steve Witkoff, the US would like other countries in the region to also join the negotiations.
He clarified that during the current talks, the key issues are Iran’s ability to enrich uranium and the fate of the country’s existing stockpiles of enriched uranium.
In addition, last week, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with CBS News that Iran could sign the best deal that would guarantee the country’s nuclear program would remain peaceful forever.
What else is known
Iran’s demand to continue uranium enrichment on its own territory remains one of the key obstacles in the negotiations.
According to US officials, President Donald Trump may not oppose symbolic uranium enrichment by Iran — but only if the Iranians prove that Trump will not allow them to develop nuclear weapons.
Officials also say that Tehran is under strong pressure from Oman, Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye to strike a deal with the United States that would prevent war.
At the same time, many officials in Washington and the region remain skeptical about the likelihood of achieving the high results set by Trump.
What will happen and what happened earlier
A new meeting between envoys of Donald Trump — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to take place on Thursday, February 26, in Geneva. They will reportedly discuss Iran’s proposed nuclear deal proposal.
A source familiar with the situation said that Iran’s political leadership has approved this proposal, but it is unclear whether the Iranians have already formally transmitted it to the US.
The Geneva meeting is likely to be the last chance for a diplomatic breakthrough. The message that Kushner and Witkoff bring back to Trump could significantly influence the president’s decision on whether to continue negotiations or order a military campaign against Iran.
Axios also recalled that under the 2015 agreement — which Trump later withdrew from — most restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program were set to expire within 8–25 years of its signing.
Threat of war with Iran
Recently, the news agency Reuters reported that the United States is considering several options to influence Iran. The scenarios include both precision strikes and a broader strategy of regime change.
Later, the same outlet learned that Iran is ready to make concessions regarding its nuclear program — but in exchange for the lifting of sanctions and recognition of its right to enrich uranium.
