Parisa Hafezi
DUBAI, Feb 22 (Reuters) – Iran said it was ready to make concessions on its nuclear program in talks with the United States in exchange for lifting sanctions and recognizing its right to enrich uranium to avoid a U.S. attack.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the two sides remained deeply divided after two rounds of talks, even over the scope and sequence of lifting crippling U.S. sanctions.
However, Reuters first reported that Iran had made new concessions since the talks ended last week, when the two sides appeared to be deeply divided and moving closer to military conflict. Analysts said the move showed Tehran was trying to keep diplomacy alive and avoid a major U.S. strike.
The official said Tehran would seriously consider exporting half of its highest-enriched uranium abroad, diluting the rest and participating in the creation of a regional enrichment alliance – an idea that has been floated regularly in Iran-related diplomacy over the years.
The official said Iran would do so in exchange for U.S. recognition of Iran’s right to “peaceful nuclear enrichment” under a deal that also includes the lifting of economic sanctions.
Separately, the official said, Iran is also offering U.S. companies the opportunity to participate as contractors in Iran’s large oil and gas industry to resolve a decades-old dispute over Tehran’s nuclear activities.
“In the economic package being negotiated, the United States also has the opportunity to make serious investments and tangible economic benefits in Iran’s oil industry,” the official said.
The White House did not immediately respond to inquiries about the issue.
Washington views enrichment activities in Iran as a potential path to acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and wants its right to enrich uranium to be recognized.
Iran and the United States resumed talks earlier this month as the United States bolsters its military capabilities in the Middle East. Iran has threatened to launch attacks on U.S. bases in the region if they are attacked.
The Iranian official said recent discussions had highlighted differences between the two sides, but stressed that “the possibility of reaching an interim agreement exists” as talks continue.
Iran seeks ‘reasonable timetable’ for sanctions relief
“The last round of talks showed that the United States’ ideas on the scope and mechanism of lifting sanctions are different from Iran’s demands. Both sides need to agree on a reasonable timetable for lifting sanctions,” the official said.
“This roadmap must be reasonable and based on common interests.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday he expected to meet US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Vitkov in Geneva on Thursday, adding that there was still a “good chance” of reaching a diplomatic solution.
Araqchi said on Friday he expected to have a draft counterproposal ready within days, while Trump said he was considering a limited military strike.
Reuters on Friday cited officials from both sides as well as Gulf and European diplomats as saying that Tehran and Washington were sliding rapidly toward military conflict as hopes for a diplomatic solution faded.
On Sunday, Witkov said the president was curious why Iran had not yet “surrendered” and agreed to curb its nuclear program.
“Why, under this kind of pressure, with a lot of maritime power and naval power out there, why don’t they come to us and say, ‘We claim we don’t need weapons, so we’re prepared to do this’? But it’s a little difficult to get them to that place,” Witkoff said on Fox News.
Be prepared to compromise on nuclear work
Behnam bin Talebulu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said Iran’s leadership is seeking to buy time through negotiations.
“Iran will use this time for a variety of reasons, including to avoid attacks and to harden its nuclear, missile and military facilities,” he said.
While rejecting U.S. demands for “zero enrichment,” a major sticking point in past negotiations, Tehran has signaled a willingness to compromise on its nuclear work.
Washington has also demanded that Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium (HEU). The International Atomic Energy Agency estimated last year that the stockpile of more than 440 kilograms of enriched uranium had a fissile purity of up to 60 percent, just a short step away from the 90 percent that would be considered weapons grade.
Ali Larijani, a close adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, told Al Jazeera that Iran is prepared to undergo extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency to prove that it is not seeking nuclear weapons.
The agency has for months called on Iran to allow inspections of three nuclear facilities struck by the United States at the end of Israel’s 12-day bombing campaign last June. Tehran has since said its uranium enrichment has stopped.
Experts say satellite images show Iran has advanced work at a site reportedly bombed by Israel last year, recently building a concrete shield and covering it with soil over a new facility at a sensitive military site.
Good for both parties
U.S. demands include limits on Tehran’s long-range ballistic missiles and an end to support for regional proxy groups.
Iran flatly refused to discuss its missiles, while sources told Reuters that “regional proxy issues are not a red line for Tehran” without elaborating.
Iranian authorities say a diplomatic solution would bring economic benefits to Tehran and Washington.
Iranian officials say Tehran will not hand over control of its oil and mineral resources.
“Ultimately, the United States can be Iran’s economic partner and nothing more. U.S. companies can always participate as contractors in Iran’s oil and gas fields.”
(Writing by Parisa Hafeez; Editing by Alex Richardson, Ross Russell, William MacLean)
