Trump nuclear proposal allows Iran to enrich uranium: Report
The US will allow Iran to enrich Uranium at a low level for a predetermined amount of time as part of a nuclear deal, according to a proposal passed to Iran from the Trump administration, Axios reported on Monday.
The report could reassure advocates of a deal, given Iran's insistence that it retain the right to enrich Uranium at some level, but is likely going to be met with fiery criticism by Israel and its allies in the US Congress.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been advocating for preemptive military strikes on Iran. Israel says the only nuclear deal it wants is akin to that which former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi agreed to in 2003, which saw the full destruction of Libya's nuclear infrastructure.
Trump said last week that he warned Netanyahu not to launch preemptive strikes on Iran. But he also said on Friday that he wanted a deal in which "we can blow up whatever we want, but nobody getting killed".
His proposal is a serious climbdown from that kind of talk.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
It would allow Iran to enrich uranium up to three percent within its borders to maintain a civilian nuclear programme. The figure is substantially below the 60 percent level it is currently at, according to Axios.
It is close to the 3.67 percent enrichment level the Obama administration agreed to with Iran as part of the 2015 nuclear deal.
What we know
The previous Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2018.
If the proposal stands as reported by Axios, it would mark a major concession by the Trump administration, which stated its own red line on a deal was preventing Iran from enriching uranium.
"An enrichment programme can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That's our red line. No enrichment," US envoy Steve Witkoff told Breitbart News in May.
Like the Obama agreement, Iran would be restricted to enriching at the three percent threshold for a certain time period. The JCPOA imposed a 15-year time limit on Iran's enrichment limit.
The Trump proposal leaves the time limit open for the following rounds of negotiations.
The US and Iran have held five rounds of talks so far. The negotiations have been mediated mainly by Oman, but Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have met in person.
The Trump proposal reported by Axios also appears to echo the 2015 deal in other areas.
Iran will not be allowed to build any new enrichment facilities and must "dismantle critical infrastructure for conversion and processing of uranium", Axios reported.
That language is similar to the 2015 nuclear deal, which mandated Iran to dismantle and remove two-thirds of its centrifuges.
The Trump proposal calls for Iran to make its underground enrichment facilities "non-operational" for a period of time to be negotiated by the parties.
The 2015 deal prevented enrichment at the underground Fordow facility until 2031.
Witkoff sent the US proposal to Iran on Saturday.
Enrichment Consortium
According to Axios, it relies heavily on a "strong system for monitoring and verification" by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
One key difference between the 2015 deal and the Trump proposal is that it envisions a regional enrichment consortium including Iran. Several reports have said that Saudi Arabia and the UAE - two key US partners - could join Iran as part of the consortium.
The Gulf states vehemently opposed the 2015 nuclear deal, as they were locked in proxy struggles with Iran throughout the region. However, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have had a rapprochement with the Islamic Republic over the last several years.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said after Trump's visit to Riyadh in May that the kingdom 'fully supports' the nuclear talks.
The White House neither confirmed nor denied the Axios report. Iran has yet to comment on it.
On Monday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news conference that Tehran was seeking clarification on debilitating sanctions relief as part of a deal.
'We want to guarantee that the sanctions are effectively lifted,' he said. "So far, the American side has not wanted to clarify this issue.'
The Wall Street Journal editorial board published an article on Sunday saying the Trump administration had paused all new sanctions activity toward Iran.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Europe's patience with Israel wears thin as UK demands investigation into shootings
Israel's renewed offensive and three-month siege of the Gaza strip has attracted mounting criticism, leading to sterner rhetoric from European leaders, even from key allies. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German chancellor Friedrich Merz are among those denouncing Israel's latest offensive, marking a change in direction from their earlier support of the war. On Wednesday, the UK called for an immediate independent investigation into the killings at the aid distribution centre and for the perpetrators to be held to account. Dozens of people have been killed in recent days as they tried to gain access to food. Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer said: 'Civilians who have endured 20 months of war should never face the risk of death or injury to simply feed themselves and their families. 'Israel's unjustified block of aid into Gaza needs to end. It is inhumane,' he said, adding that the country should allow the UN to deliver aid 'at scale to save lives'. But experts warn the tougher tone needs to match policy decision, ahead of the UN peace conference at the end of the month. 'It's time for the rhetoric to be turned into action. It's time to end the war and have a very clear eyed path to stability,' said Nomi Bar Yaacov, an international peace negotiator at the Geneva Centre for Middle East Policy. "It is clear that Israel's behaviour in Gaza and the West Bank has alienated its traditional friends, including Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. What is needed is action more than words," said former British diplomat Sir Vincent Fean, who served as Consul General to Jerusalem. Mr Starmer described the situation in Gaza as 'intolerable' in parliament on Wednesday, reiterating comments made at press conference in Scotland on Monday. He said Gaza was facing 'dark days'. Speaking in Parliament, he described the Israeli government's conduct in the 25 mile-long strip as 'counterproductive and intolerable'. He said: 'We will keep looking at further action along with our allies, including sanctions, but let me be absolutely clear: we need to get back to a ceasefire. 'We need the hostages who've been held for a very long time to be released, and we desperately need more aid at speed and at volume into Gaza, because it's an appalling and intolerable situation.' The UK suspended new trade talks with Israel and imposed new sanctions on Jewish settlers in the West Bank last month, using its harshest language yet. Yet the UK government has not yet given signs that it will recognise the Palestinian state soon, and is rejecting calls to impose a total arms embargo on Israel. Suggestions that the UK was considering sanctions against far-right cabinet Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have not materialised. Mr Starmer included Palestinian statehood recognition in his party's election manifesto, but stressed this would only happen as 'part of a peace process'. Mr Fean said the "serious shift" in UK policy was "encouraging" – and that the UK should work with France on a coalition that would lead to Palestinian statehood recognition at the UN conference this month. "The Prime Minister is working closely with President Macron on several fronts: Ukraine, rapprochement with the EU and Israel-Palestine. "The New York conference matters a lot. I would like to see the UK, with its historical responsibilities working with France to recognise Palestine unconditionally in New York. "If the UK and France act together, others will follow for example Canada, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg," he said. Germany has been Israel's strongest ally in Europe, and says it has a historical duty to stand with Israel owing to the Holocaust. Yet last week Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he 'no longer understands' what the war's objectives are. "It's a human tragedy and political catastrophe," he said last week in an interview. "Frankly speaking, I no longer understand what the goal of the Israeli army in Gaza Strip is. "When lines are crossed, when international humanitarian law is truly being violated, the German chancellor must say something about it," he stressed. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described Israel's blockade of Gaza as 'unacceptable', and said later in the week that they were reviewing future arms sales to Israel. Berlin would assess whether Israel's actions in Gaza were 'compatible with international humanitarian law'. 'We are examining it, and based on this review, we will approve further arms deliveries if necessary," Mr Wadephul said in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung. French President Emmanuel Macron has led, with Saudi Arabia, the creation of a UN peace conference this month, and is pushing for western countries to recognise a Palestinian state. Last week, Mr Macron asserted that recognition was 'not only a moral duty but a political necessity'. The Israeli foreign ministry accused Mr Macron of a continuing 'crusade against the Jewish state.' 'The facts do not interest Macron. There is no humanitarian blockade. that is a blatant lie,' the Ministry said in a social media post. Despite the growing rift between Israel and France, Mr Fean said that the UN conference will be key in developing a road map. "We need a plan that produces an outcome that is credible in terms of mutual security and self determination for two peoples." Ms Bar Yaacov urged European leaders to look at existing transitional plans for Gaza as they formulate a framework towards long-term peace. "The plan for a postwar Palestinian transitional technocratic government in Gaza are well known to all those engaged in trying to resolve the conflict. They've been agreed to by Hamas, all of the Palestinian factions," she said. The European Union may also suspend parts of its trade agreement with Israel when it concludes its review this month about whether or not Israel may have broken international law in Gaza. In May, 17 member states backed a Dutch proposal to formally review the agreement, over its compliance with article 2, which requires it to 'respect human rights.' The European Commission's chief, Ursula von der Leyen, who gave the EU's blanket support for Israel after the October 7 Hamas attacks, said for the first time last week that Israel's 'abhorrent' killing of civilians 'cannot be justified under humanitarian and international law. Mr Fean said this could lead to the "selective suspension of Israel from elements of the agreement such as the R&D co-operation programme." The outliers now are Hungary and the Czech Republic, who were among the few handful of states to vote against the review.
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Israel strikes Syria hours after missiles launched towards occupied Golan Heights
Israeli air strikes targeted southern Syria on Wednesday morning, just hours after two missiles were launched towards the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The missiles were reportedly fired from the town of Tasil in Syria's Daraa Governorate - an area where Israel conducted military operations in April as part of its ongoing incursions into Syrian territory. A previously unknown group calling itself the Martyr Mohammed Deif Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is named after the late commander of Hamas' armed wing. "From the heart of occupied Palestine, we announce the establishment of the Martyr Mohammed Deif Brigades, in loyalty to the pure blood shed and as a continuation of the resistance path," the group said in a statement. "We are a generation born under bombardment and raised to the sound of guns. We will not accept a life of humiliation or subjugation. It is either a life that pleases our friends or a death that angers our enemies. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "We will be a sword hanging over your necks. Wherever you are, you will find us there, fighting you with everything we have." The statement described the group as "neither a party nor an organisation," but rather "a free revolutionary resistance movement, present in every street, camp, and alley - echoing every cry from beneath the rubble." Middle East Eye could not independently verify the authenticity of the statement or the accuracy of its claims. 'We will not cease until the shelling of the vulnerable in the Gaza Strip stops' - Martyr Mohammed Deif Brigades statement A source from the group told Al Jazeera that the missiles launched from Syria, the first such incident since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December, was in response to "the massacres in Gaza". "We will not cease until the shelling of the vulnerable in the Gaza Strip stops," the source said. Syria's Foreign Affairs Media Office denied any official involvement in the missile launch. In a statement to Al Ekhbariyah TV, it said there was "no accurate information" about attacks and warned that "several parties are seeking to destabilise the region to serve their own interests." "Syria has not and will not pose a threat to any party in the region,'"the statement said. "The priority in southern Syria is to restore full state authority and prevent the presence of unauthorised weapons, in order to ensure the safety and stability of all citizens." The office also strongly condemned Israel's retaliatory strikes on villages and towns in the Daraa region, calling them a violation of Syrian sovereignty and a dangerous escalation of tensions. Israel blames Sharaa Israel responded to the missiles by launching air strikes on southern Syria for the first time in nearly a month, targeting what it said were government-held weapons sites. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was "directly responsible for any threat or fire directed at the State of Israel". The Israeli military warned that the new Syrian government "will continue to bear the consequences as long as hostile activity continues from its territory." Translation: Watch the moment of the violent Israeli bombing of areas in the northern and eastern countryside of Daraa The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported strikes near the city of Quneitra and across the Daraa countryside. Ahmed al-Sharaa confirms Syria and Israel in indirect deconfliction talks Read More » The Syrian foreign ministry said: "We call on the international community to assume its responsibilities in stopping these attacks, and to support efforts aimed at restoring security and stability to Syria and the region." Since Assad's removal in December, Israel has sent troops to occupy a swath of southwestern Syria and conducted regular bombing campaigns. Last month, Israeli fighter jets struck an area near Sharaa's presidential palace. Israeli troops currently occupy a UN-patrolled buffer zone along the 1974 armistice line through the Golan Heights, although they have also pushed deeper into Syrian territory. Last month, Sharaa said that his government was holding "indirect talks" with Israel to calm tensions between the two countries. The 1974 agreement sought to limit border tensions between Syria and Israel after the 1967 War and was negotiated by US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Belgium exploring plan to drop aid into Gaza amid 'shameful' humanitarian crisis, says Foreign Minister
Belgium is exploring the possibility of using aircraft to drop aid into Gaza, Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot has told The National, as the humanitarian situation in the enclave continues to deteriorate. Israel ended an 11-week blockade on Gaza last month, but only a limited amount of humanitarian assistance has since entered through the UN and newly established Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – a controversial US and Israeli-backed private organisation that is overhauling aid distribution in the war-torn strip. The foundation began distributing aid last week as Gaza's 2.3 million people face widespread hunger, with many having been displaced by the conflict. But its operations, which circumvent traditional humanitarian agencies, have drawn criticism from the UN and major aid groups for failing to adhere to established humanitarian principles. 'We are trying to push, together with other European partners, to open a broader corridor for aid trucks coming from international donors through Israel to enter Palestinian territories,' said Mr Prevot, who is also Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister. 'In parallel, we are also studying whether it is possible and pertinent to drop additional aid by aeroplane. What we are seeing on the ground is shameful and we urgently need to improve the international community's response.' The GHF said it would temporarily suspend operations on Wednesday after three days of bloodshed around its aid sites. On Tuesday, at least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in Rafah, Gazan health officials said. The Israeli military said troops opened fire after a group of people deviated from a designated access route and approached their positions near the distribution site. 'Cutting off assistance on a voluntary basis to children, women and civilians and denying them access to water, food, health care and electricity is totally unacceptable,' said Mr Prevot. 'It is clearly a violation of human rights.' Israel has faced mounting international criticism over its actions in Gaza, with the EU, in particular, adopting a noticeably tougher tone. However, observers argue that the bloc is unlikely to reach a unified position on Israel. Any common foreign or security policy within the EU requires unanimous agreement among all 27 member states – a requirement that has led to accusations of inaction, or imposing only minimal pressure on Israel over the situation in Gaza. The EU last month launched a review to assess whether Israel is in compliance with the human rights provisions laid out in its association agreement with the bloc, a move supported by 17 of its 27 member states. Mr Prevot said the Belgian government had urged EU partners to expand the current sanctions list, which includes violent Israeli settlers and some Hamas figures, to include additional political and military leaders from Israel and Hamas. 'This is currently under discussion and we hope it will be possible to reach a common decision among all EU member states,' he said. Two-state solution Later this month, France and Saudi Arabia will lead a UN conference on the two-state solution in New York. Paris has been pushing European countries, including the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium, to jointly recognise the state of Palestine at the peace conference. 'The question is not whether we intend to recognise Palestine, but when,' said Mr Prevot. 'Our main goal is to achieve a two-state solution. However, that should normally be accompanied by the release of all hostages, an end to Hamas governance in Gaza and the establishment of a strong Palestinian leadership.' He emphasised that securing a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and addressing the immediate humanitarian emergency must remain top priorities. Gulf tour Gaza and other regional flashpoints were high on the agenda during Mr Prevot's tour of the Gulf this week, which included visits to Qatar and the UAE. In Abu Dhabi, he met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The two officials discussed bilateral relations and ways to expand co-operation across various fields, including the economic, trade and investment sectors, the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. 'The UAE is Belgium's second-largest commercial and trading partner among Arab countries. We already have strong ties; it's time to deepen them,' Mr Prevot said. 'Belgium can serve as a gateway to Europe – we are the world's leading diplomatic hub and host all European institutions. It's also crucial to create new opportunities in sectors such as defence and energy. 'The UAE offers credibility, stability and is a key geopolitical partner in this region." The UAE and the EU have recently launched free trade talks, aiming to boost economic ties and market access amid global trade uncertainty. Relations with Belgium are seen as especially important, given that Brussels serves as the EU's capital. Cautious engagement with Iran Mr Prevot also noted that Belgium maintains a critical engagement with Iran. 'On the one hand, we are confronted with some irritants: hostage diplomacy, military support to Russia in its aggression of Ukraine, support to entities destabilising the region and, of course, the nuclear file,' he said. 'On the other hand, we believe that the solution will be achieved not by force but by dialogue.' The US and Iran have been engaged in nuclear negotiations since April, with Oman acting as mediator. These talks, which have taken place in Muscat and Rome, aim to address concerns over Iran's advancing nuclear programme and explore pathways to revive or replace elements of the 2015 nuclear deal. While the negotiations have faced challenges, including disagreements over uranium enrichment levels and sanctions relief, both sides have agreed to continue dialogue. 'We support the negotiations between the US, but also some European countries, with Iran to reach an agreement," Mr Prevot added. "If it does not lead to a positive result, we would only regret it. Activating the snapback clause reviving sanctions would be likely.'
