Iran proposes new nuclear deal involving Arab nations to US

The Tehran administration has presented a new nuclear agreement model to the US, which would include Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as a way out of the nuclear crisis. In this multinational structure, civilian fuel production would continue, but supervision would be increased.

In recent contacts with the US, Iran proposed a multinational partnership that would allow it to continue uranium enrichment but be subject to stricter inspections.

According to a report in the New York Times, citing four Iranian officials, Tehran has offered an alternative plan in response to Washington’s demand to completely terminate its nuclear program. This plan involves a uranium enrichment initiative to be jointly carried out with Arab countries in the region and includes US investments.

It was reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conveyed this proposal during direct and indirect talks with US Special Representative Steve Witkoff in Oman on Sunday.

The proposal, widely featured in Iranian media under the headline “new plan on the negotiating table,” was questioned by the Farhikhtegan newspaper, which is close to the Revolutionary Guards, as “service or betrayal?”

It is not yet clear whether Iran’s two major regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, could be included in this structure. The 45-year absence of diplomatic relations between Iran and the US, as well as the reluctance of the American private sector to invest in nuclear projects in Iran, makes the feasibility of the plan uncertain.

Speaking in Saudi Arabia, US President Donald Trump criticized Iran for supporting militant groups in the region but said that a diplomatic solution would make the region safer.

“I want to make a deal with Iran,” Trump said. “If such a deal is made, I would be very pleased. This would make your region and the world safer.”

However, Trump warned Iranian leaders that it was time to make a decision: “There is not much time to wait. The decision must be made now.”

Iran’s proposal includes the creation of a permanent nuclear consortium involving the three countries. Accordingly, Iran would continue low-level uranium enrichment, far from nuclear weapon production. The produced fuel would be sent to other Arab countries for civilian use.

This structure is similar to the 2015 nuclear agreement, which allowed Iran to enrich uranium up to 3.67%. However, in the new proposal, representatives from other countries, possibly including the US, would provide continuous on-site inspections.

The four Iranian officials stated that this plan would be indefinite, unlike the 2015 agreement. This situation could also provide President Trump, who withdrew the US from the previous agreement, a basis to claim he achieved more than his predecessor, Barack Obama.

Ali Vaez, Iran Director at the International Crisis Group, described the proposal as “a new approach worth trying.” He stated, “Parties should now abandon zero-sum demands and find a common path that can preserve the dignity of both sides.”

Before the talks in Oman, tensions between Iran and the US had raised the possibility of military conflict. However, both Tehran and Washington declared their preference for a diplomatic solution.

While the US side’s demands have not been clarified, Witkoff told Breitbart News in an interview that they want Iran to completely end its nuclear program and close the three main facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.

Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that this demand is a “red line.” Araghchi, referring to alleged Israeli assassinations, said, “blood was shed for our nuclear program,” and that the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes is a matter of “national honor” for Iran.

However, statements made after the three-hour meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff in Oman had a softer and more constructive tone. It was stated that talks would continue at a technical level, particularly on nuclear facilities and financial issues related to the lifting of sanctions.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi said in a social media post, “Constructive and original ideas were put forward in the talks. Both sides aim for an honorable agreement.”

Araghchi visited Saudi Arabia before meeting with the Americans and then traveled to the United Arab Emirates. It has not yet been clarified whether Saudi Arabia and the UAE will participate in this partnership.

Both countries support an agreement between Iran and the US and want to prevent a regional war. They also have goals to develop their own civil nuclear programs. The UAE opened the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant in 2020. However, its agreement with the US prohibits uranium enrichment.

Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian diplomat involved in the 2015 nuclear negotiations, first brought up the idea of this regional nuclear consortium in an article he co-authored in 2023 with Princeton University physicist Frank von Hippel.

Mousavian argued that this proposal would address most of the US’s concerns, limiting Iran’s enrichment capacity and uranium stockpiles, thereby reducing both current and future threats.

“If Trump announces such a regional nuclear deal, it would be a great success,” Mousavian said. “This development would eliminate the Iran-originated threat, limit enrichment activities in the region, and create new opportunities for Americans.”