Iran to consider interim nuclear deal in talks with the US to avoid war

Iran is reportedly considering proposing an interim nuclear agreement in ongoing negotiations with the United States, potentially paving the way for a broader, long-term deal. 

This move comes amid growing tensions and a tight deadline set by the US.

According to Axios, Iranian officials believe it is unrealistic to reach a comprehensive agreement within the two-month window set by President Donald Trump. As a result, Tehran may push for an interim arrangement to de-escalate tensions and allow more time for substantive talks.

The proposed interim deal would include several key concessions by Iran:

Suspending some uranium enrichment activities.
Reducing its stockpile of enriched uranium to 60%.
Granting UN inspectors expanded access to its nuclear facilities.

While these steps would only marginally delay Iran’s potential to develop a nuclear weapon, experts suggest the move could help rebuild trust and momentum for further negotiations.

There is also speculation that the interim deal could be linked to the Snapback mechanism — a clause in the 2015 nuclear deal allowing for the automatic reinstatement of UN sanctions if Iran fails to comply. That mechanism is set to expire in October.

However, for the interim agreement to move forward, Trump may need to suspend his “maximum pressure” campaign — a hardline approach aimed at crippling the Iranian economy. Whether the US president is open to that remains uncertain.

During his 2024 campaign, Trump expressed openness to a new nuclear deal with Iran, signaling a potential shift from his earlier hardline stance. This followed reports that Iran had plotted to assassinate the former president, an accusation which the US government took seriously.

Despite his willingness to talk, Trump has continued to apply pressure on Iran. In early February, he reinstated economic restrictions aimed at reducing Iran’s oil exports to zero and preventing the country from developing nuclear weapons.

On February 6, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on an international network accused of funneling oil revenues to the Iranian military, bypassing existing restrictions.

In March, Bloomberg reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to assist Trump in negotiations with Iran, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing discussions.

The original Iran nuclear deal — formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — was signed in 2015 by Iran, the US, UK, France, China, Russia, Germany, and the EU. The agreement required Iran to scale back its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.

In 2018, the Trump administration withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions, prompting Tehran to resume uranium enrichment. Under President Biden, indirect talks were initiated to revive the agreement, but those efforts collapsed in late 2022 when the US accused Iran of making unreasonable demands concerning an IAEA investigation into undisclosed nuclear activities.

Since then, the deal has been considered “off the table,” with Trump’s return to the presidency reinforcing a more aggressive approach.