Iran weighs nuclear proposals as Qatar pushes to avert renewed US strikes - report
US officials tell i24NEWS Trump could limit strikes to Iran’s nuclear sites, including Mount Pickaxe, as Qatar renews efforts to broker a deal
Iran is considering new proposals on its nuclear program as Qatar intensifies efforts to broker an agreement with Washington, even as American officials say President Donald Trump could still order military action.
The diplomatic opening leaves a central question unresolved: whether Tehran and Washington can reach an understanding on Iran’s nuclear activities before the confrontation escalates again.
Five officials briefed on the negotiations told The New York Times that Iran was examining specific proposals delivered by mediators. Their terms have not been disclosed, and there is no indication that either side has accepted a deal.
Qatar has held several rounds of discussions with Iranian officials, including meetings in Tehran and Doha, according to the report. Regional diplomats separately told i24NEWS that Doha was pressing Iran to offer a meaningful nuclear concession to secure an agreement with Trump.
Military preparations, meanwhile, remain part of Washington’s approach. American officials told i24NEWS that Trump could choose a limited operation against nuclear facilities, including the site known as Mount Pickaxe, rather than a wider campaign targeting energy infrastructure.
Vice President JD Vance has become a leading advocate of the mediation effort, according to officials cited by the Times. Last month, he proposed direct negotiations in a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, with the nuclear program included on the agenda.
Iran’s public demands remain substantial. Rezaei has called for the release of frozen assets, relief from oil sanctions and an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports. Behind closed doors, however, officials described greater willingness to discuss nuclear arrangements.
Trump has demanded that Tehran surrender the material, while Iranian officials have opposed transferring it abroad. Earlier negotiations explored reducing its enrichment level inside Iran under international supervision.
The latest mediation follows the collapse of a cease-fire intended to open the way to nuclear negotiations and restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Gulf governments fear another round of attacks could bring Iranian retaliation against their territory and further economic disruption.