The United States has officially sent a new nuclear deal proposal to Iran, in what appears to be a renewed push to prevent the Islamic Republic from developing nuclear weapons. The White House confirmed the move on Saturday, as concerns rise globally over Iran’s growing stockpile of enriched uranium.
According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the proposal was delivered by Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr Albusaidi, during a visit to Tehran. The offer comes just days after a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed that Iran now possesses over 400kg of uranium enriched to 60% purity—dangerously close to the 90% needed for weapons-grade material.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the proposal as “detailed and acceptable,” urging Tehran to respond in its own interest. “President Trump has made it clear that Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb,” she said, highlighting the urgency of reaching an agreement.
The IAEA’s report has sparked alarm in Western capitals. It found that Iran is enriching uranium at a rate equivalent to one nuclear bomb’s worth per month. US officials warn that if Iran chooses to pursue a weapon, it could produce bomb-grade uranium in less than two weeks and potentially build a nuclear weapon within months.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful. However, it has refused to provide access to key inspectors or answer questions about past nuclear activities, making it difficult for the IAEA to verify the nature of its programme. Iranian state media dismissed the IAEA report as “politically motivated” and full of “baseless accusations.”
The nuclear deal proposal marks a new chapter in long-running negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Talks, quietly facilitated by Oman since April, aim to revive dialogue following the collapse of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). That deal—signed by Iran, the US, China, France, Russia, Germany, and the UK—placed strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for lifting international sanctions.
However, the deal broke down in 2018 when then-President Donald Trump pulled the US out, calling it a “bad deal” for failing to permanently stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions and ignoring its missile programme. Trump re-imposed heavy sanctions, triggering a sharp rise in tensions and prompting Iran to exceed the limits set under the JCPOA.
Now, with Trump seeking a new agreement, the stakes are high. While both sides have shown interest in resuming talks, they remain divided on key issues—particularly Iran’s right to continue uranium enrichment.
Iran has promised to respond to the proposal “in line with the national interest,” but global attention is now focused on whether diplomacy will succeed—or if another confrontation looms.
