Tehran is preparing to reject the latest U.S. nuclear proposal, with a senior Iranian official calling the plan "incoherent and disjointed," as negotiations appear to be unraveling despite President Donald Trump's recent claims that a deal was close.
The proposal, delivered Saturday via Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, suggests the U.S. might invest in Iran's civilian nuclear program and potentially join a consortium - including the International Atomic Energy Agency and regional nations - to oversee low-level uranium enrichment within Iran. That marks a significant shift from previous U.S. demands that Iran halt all domestic enrichment activity.
Iranian officials swiftly rebuked the plan. "At first glance, [it] is assessed as incoherent and disjointed, very unrealistic, and with excessive demands," an unnamed Iranian official told CNN. "The fact that the Americans constantly change their positions has so far been the main obstacle to the success of the talks." Another Iranian diplomat told Reuters the offer was "a non-starter" and said Tehran is drafting a formal rejection.
"Under our potential Agreement - WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM!" Trump wrote Monday evening on Truth Social, contradicting prior reports that his administration's proposal would allow limited enrichment for peaceful purposes. A White House official later defended the comment as "the cold, hard truth," maintaining the proposal imposes strict terms that ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon.
The dispute centers on uranium enrichment - a flashpoint in nuclear diplomacy since Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and reinstated sweeping sanctions. While Iran insists on its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes, the U.S. continues to signal mixed positions. "Iran's position on enrichment is firm and steadfast," the Iranian official told CNN.
The internal discord was amplified by former Obama-era diplomat Dan Shapiro, who posted on X: "This proposal poses a moment of truth for critics of previous Iran nuclear negotiations... Will they hold Trump to the same standard?"
Iranian leaders have also criticized the new proposal for failing to clarify sanctions relief. "There is no clear explanation regarding the lifting of sanctions," an Iranian diplomat said. Tehran is demanding the immediate removal of U.S. curbs, including those targeting Iran's central bank and oil sector.
The two countries wrapped up a fifth round of talks in Rome on May 23, after which a senior U.S. official said both sides had agreed to meet again "in the near future." That next round is now in jeopardy, as Iranian assessments increasingly view the American offer as "completely one-sided."
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported Saturday that Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade has increased since February, further straining the already fragile diplomatic effort.
Trump's envoy to the negotiations, Steve Witkoff, had floated the possibility of a regional consortium overseeing enrichment for medical and energy use - a concept previously explored in the 2015 agreement. But Trump's public disavowal of any enrichment has cast doubt over the coherence of U.S. policy.
