Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Iran has indicated it is prepared to offer concessions in renewed nuclear negotiations with the United States, but insists that any agreement must include meaningful sanctions relief, while firmly ruling out a complete halt to uranium enrichment.
In an interview with BBC, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said Tehran is willing to discuss limits on its nuclear program if Washington demonstrates seriousness about lifting sanctions.
“The ball is in America’s court to prove that it wants to reach an agreement,” Takht-Ravanchi said, adding that if the United States is sincere, he is confident the two sides could move toward a deal.
Conditional Concessions
Takht-Ravanchi pointed to Iran’s reported willingness to scale back uranium enrichment at the 60 percent level as evidence of flexibility. He said Tehran is ready to discuss this and other aspects of its nuclear program, provided sanctions are part of the conversation. However, he stopped short of clarifying whether Iran seeks the removal of all U.S. sanctions or only selected measures.
Some reports have suggested that Tehran may have floated the possibility of temporarily suspending certain enrichment activities, though Iranian officials have not formally confirmed the scope or duration of such a step.
At the same time, the deputy foreign minister drew a firm red line: “The issue of zero enrichment is no longer on the table, and for Iran, it is not up for discussion.” His remarks directly contradict statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently said, “We do not want any enrichment.”
Iran maintains that uranium enrichment for civilian purposes is its sovereign right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Washington, however, argues that enrichment at high levels brings Tehran dangerously close to weapons-grade capability.
Stockpiles and External Transfers
When asked whether Iran might again transfer part of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium reportedly exceeding 400 kilograms outside the country, as it did under the 2015 nuclear deal, Takht-Ravanchi said it was “too early” to predict what might emerge from negotiations.
Under the 2015 agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran shipped approximately 11,000 kilograms of low-enriched uranium to Russia as part of confidence-building measures. Moscow has reportedly signaled it could once again receive enriched material if a new arrangement is reached.
However, Tehran has reiterated that its ballistic missile program remains non-negotiable, a position that conflicts with long-standing demands from Israel and some U.S. policymakers who argue that missile capabilities should be addressed alongside nuclear restrictions.
Nuclear File Only
Takht-Ravanchi emphasized that Iran’s primary condition is to limit negotiations strictly to the nuclear file. “We understand that the other side has concluded that if you want a deal, you must focus on the nuclear issue,” he said, suggesting there may be preliminary convergence on narrowing the scope of talks.
On the American side, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said senior White House advisers, including Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, are expected to hold a series of high-level meetings on the Iran file. Rubio indicated that Washington would await the outcome of those consultations before determining its next steps.
He declined to comment on the possibility of military action, referencing President Trump’s previous statements that he prefers diplomatic solutions but has warned of potential strikes if no agreement is reached.
Regional Tensions and Indirect Talks
The renewed diplomatic push comes amid heightened regional tensions and an expanded U.S. military presence in the Middle East, which American officials say is intended to protect U.S. personnel and deter potential attacks.
Earlier this month, Iranian and American officials held indirect talks in Oman, a frequent mediator between the two sides. Takht-Ravanchi described the first round as moving “more or less in a positive direction,” though he cautioned that it is too soon to draw conclusions. A second round of discussions is scheduled to take place in Geneva on Tuesday. Trump has also characterized the talks as positive.
The negotiations unfold against the backdrop of Trump’s earlier threats to strike Iran if diplomacy fails to curb its nuclear program. For now, both sides appear to be testing whether limited, phased compromises reduced enrichment in exchange for calibrated sanctions relief, could reopen a path toward de-escalation.
Whether that path leads to a comprehensive agreement or another cycle of confrontation will depend on how far Washington is willing to go on sanctions relief and how much nuclear flexibility Tehran is prepared to formalize at the negotiating table.
