The Trump administration is reportedly open to a proposal allowing Iran “‘token’ nuclear enrichment” if it guarantees no pathway to a nuclear weapon, a senior US official revealed to Axios on Saturday.
This development hints at a potential, albeit narrow, diplomatic opening between the United States and Iran, aiming to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and avert a broader conflict.
However, this consideration comes as President Trump has been presented with military options for Iran, including direct targeting of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
US officials quoted by Axios emphasized that any forthcoming Iranian nuclear proposal must meet an exceptionally high bar. It must be compelling enough to sway numerous skeptics within the Trump administration and across the region.
A senior US official stated, “President Trump will be ready to accept a deal that would be substantive and that he can sell politically at home. If the Iranians want to prevent an attack they should give us an offer we can’t refuse. The Iranians keep missing the window. If they play games there won’t be a lot of patience.”
The Pentagon has reportedly presented President Trump with a range of military contingencies, said Axios. “They have something for every scenario. One scenario takes out the ayatollah and his son and the mullahs,” one adviser disclosed, referring to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son Mojtaba, a potential successor. “What the president chooses no one knows. I don’t think he knows.”
A second source corroborated that a plan to eliminate Khamenei and his son was presented to Trump weeks prior. Another senior Trump adviser added, “Trump is keeping his options open. He could decide on an attack at any moment.”
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly underscored the unpredictability, stating, “The media may continue to speculate on the President’s thinking all they want, but only President Trump knows what he may or may not do.”
As the region braces for potential conflict, a US official reiterated to Axios that Washington would await Iran’s written proposal before determining the next steps, including the possibility of further negotiations.
President Trump, on Friday, urged Iran to “better negotiate a fair deal.” He also cited a figure of 32,000 protesters killed in Iran, a number put forth by Iranian opposition groups, significantly higher than other estimates. Trump expressed sympathy for the Iranian populace, stating, “The people of Iran are very different than the leaders of Iran. It is a very sad situation… I feel very badly for the people of Iran. They lived in hell.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with MS NOW on Friday that the Iranian draft proposal would be shared with the US after receiving final approval from Tehran’s political leadership. He affirmed that the plan would encompass “political commitments and technical measures” to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.
The US official emphasized the necessity of a “very detailed” proposal demonstrating the “benign” intent of the Iranian nuclear program. “We will see what he gives us in writing. Based on that, we will see how serious they are. The ball is in their court,” the official concluded.
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