Iran indicated on Sunday that it was willing to make concessions on its nuclear program in talks with the United States in exchange for lifting sanctions and recognizing its right to enrich uranium, as it seeks to avoid a US attack. Tehran is considering sending half of its highly enriched uranium stock abroad, diluting the other half, establishing a regional alliance for enrichment, and offering the participation of American companies in oil and gas, with a logical timetable for easing sanctions after the Araqchi-Witkoff meeting next Thursday in Geneva.

Published on: 02/22/2026 - 21:44 Last updated: 02/23/2026 - 18:33

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Iran announced its willingness to make concessions on its nuclear program in talks with the United States in exchange for lifting sanctions and recognizing its right to enrich uranium, as Tehran seeks to avoid a US attack.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the two sides remain in sharp disagreement, even over the scope and sequence of easing severe US sanctions, after two rounds of talks.

New Iranian concessions

But Reuters reported for the first time that Tehran was offering new concessions since the end of its talks with the United States last week, when the two sides appeared to be very far apart and approaching a military conflict. Analysts say the latest move indicates that Tehran is trying to maintain diplomatic efforts and avoid a major US attack.

The official stated that Iran is seriously considering sending half of its highly enriched uranium stock abroad, reducing the concentration of the other half, and establishing a regional alliance for enrichment, an idea that has been raised periodically during years of diplomatic efforts linked to Iran.

The official added that Iran would do this in exchange for the United States recognizing Iran's right to "peaceful nuclear enrichment" under an agreement that would also include the lifting of economic sanctions.

The official said that Iran is also offering American companies to participate as contractors in Iran's large oil and gas sectors, during negotiations to resolve a decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear activities.

He continued: “Within the economic package under the negotiations, the United States was also offered opportunities for serious investment and tangible economic interests in the Iranian oil sector.”

The White House has not yet responded to inquiries about the issue.

Washington considers enrichment within Iran a possible path to possessing nuclear weapons, which Iran denies and demands recognition of its right to enrich uranium.

Iran and the United States resumed negotiations earlier this month at a time when the United States is amassing military assets in the Middle East. Iran threatened to strike American bases in the region if they were attacked.

The Iranian official said that the most recent discussions highlighted the gap between the two sides, but stressed that “the possibility of reaching a temporary agreement exists” as negotiations continue.

Iran seeks a “logical timetable” for lifting sanctions

“The latest round of talks showed the difference in US views from Iran’s demands on the scope and mechanism of sanctions relief,” the official said. “The two sides must come up with a logical timetable for lifting sanctions.”

He added: "This road map must be reasonable and based on common interests."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he expected to meet with Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, in Geneva next Thursday, adding that there was still a "good chance" of reaching a diplomatic solution.

Araqchi said on Friday that he expected to prepare a draft alternative proposal within days, while Trump indicated that he was considering launching limited military attacks on Iran.

On Friday, Reuters quoted officials from both sides and diplomats in the Gulf and Europe as saying that Tehran and Washington are rapidly moving toward a military conflict, with hope for a diplomatic solution diminishing.

Witkoff said the president is curious to know why Iran has not yet “surrendered” and agreed to curb its nuclear program, at a time when Washington is mobilizing its military capabilities in the Middle East.

Willingness to compromise

Iran's leadership is currently seeking to buy time through negotiations, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

He added: "Iran will take advantage of this time for various reasons, including avoiding a military strike and strengthening its nuclear, missile and military capabilities."

Although Tehran rejected the US demand to “completely stop enrichment,” which was a major point of contention in previous negotiations, it demonstrated its willingness to make concessions on its nuclear program.

Washington demands that Iran give up its stock of highly enriched uranium. Last year, the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency estimated this stockpile at more than 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to a purity of up to 60 percent, not far from the 90 percent considered suitable for making weapons.

Ali Larijani, a close advisor to Iran's supreme leader, told Al Jazeera that Iran is willing to allow extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency to prove that it is not seeking nuclear weapons.

The agency has been demanding that Iran for months allow inspection of three nuclear sites targeted by the United States in June last year, at the end of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign. Tehran has since announced that it has stopped enriching uranium.

Satellite images show that Iran has accelerated its work at a site that Israel reportedly bombed last year, and experts say it recently built a concrete shield over a new facility at a sensitive military site and covered it with soil.

Benefits for both sides

Among the American demands are to impose restrictions on Tehran's long-range ballistic missiles and end its support for a network of armed proxies in the region.

Iran categorically refuses to discuss the issue of missiles, and sources told Reuters that “the issue of proxies in the region is not a red line for Tehran,” without providing further details.

Iranian authorities said that a diplomatic solution would bring economic benefits to Tehran and Washington.

The Iranian official said that Tehran will not give up control of its oil and mineral resources.

He added: "At the end of the day, the United States can be an economic partner for Iran, nothing more. American companies can always participate as contractors in Iranian oil and gas fields."

France 24/Reuters

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