Tehran, Iran. Iran is considering the terms for resuming talks with the United States soon, a foreign ministry official said, as both sides signalled readiness to revive diplomacy over a long-running nuclear dispute.
Heightened tensions and military buildup
Tensions are elevated amid a U.S. Navy military buildup near Iran, following a violent crackdown against anti-government demonstrations last month that was described as the deadliest domestic unrest in Iran since its 1979 revolution.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who did not carry out threats to intervene during the crackdown, has demanded Iranian nuclear concessions and sent a flotilla to Iran’s coast. Trump said last week Iran was “seriously talking,” while Tehran’s top security official Ali Larijani said on X that arrangements for negotiations were underway.
U.S. demands and Iran’s stance
Iranian sources said the United States had demanded three preconditions for resuming talks: zero enrichment of uranium in Iran, limits on Tehran’s ballistic missile program, and an end to Iran’s support for regional proxies.
Iran has long rejected all three demands as infringements on its sovereignty, but two Iranian officials said Iran’s clerical rulers view the ballistic missile programme, rather than uranium enrichment, as the bigger obstacle.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was considering “the various dimensions and aspects of the talks,” adding that “time is of the essence for Iran as it wants lifting of unjust sanctions sooner.”
Possible meeting in Turkey
A senior Iranian official and a Western diplomat said U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi could meet in Turkey in the coming day.
A Turkish ruling party official said Tehran and Washington had agreed that this week’s talks would focus on diplomacy, in what was described as a potential reprieve from possible U.S. strikes.
Conditions for restarting talks
An Iranian official said “diplomacy is ongoing,” and that Iran says talks should resume without preconditions. The official said Iran is ready to show flexibility on uranium enrichment, including handing over 400 kg of highly enriched uranium and accepting zero enrichment under a consortium arrangement.
The official added that for talks to start, Tehran wants U.S. military assets moved away from Iran.
What do you think are the key issues that could determine whether Iran and the United States resume talks soon?