Negotiations between Washington and Tehran regarding Iran's nuclear program have reached a critical juncture. US President Donald Trump has demanded that the Iranian side outline specific concessions in writing that they are willing to make. This requirement comes as a reaction to the fact that previous verbal assurances from Iranian negotiators proved insufficiently convincing for the US administration.
From Verbal Promises to Written Commitments
Previously, the Iranian delegation provided verbal guarantees that the regime would eventually agree to certain conditions regarding its nuclear program. However, according to sources in ABC, President Trump concluded during a meeting at the Situation Room on Friday that these commitments were not enough. Now, Washington insists that specific concessions be recorded within the framework of a preliminary deal.
According to media reports, detailed discussions on the terms of the nuclear deal were supposed to take place only after the conclusion of a framework agreement. Nevertheless, Trump decided not to wait and demanded specifics at the stage of preliminary agreements.
Position of Secretary of State Marco Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the Trump administration's key demands to Iran before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Tuesday. According to him, Tehran must commit to very specific negotiations concerning highly enriched uranium.
"They must agree to strict and long-term restrictions or the cessation of uranium enrichment activities within their country," Rubio emphasized. He also added that Iran must commit to disposing of enriched uranium which, according to intelligence data, is still located deep in the mountains. At the same time, the Secretary of State noted that the mechanisms for implementing these commitments, as well as financial incentives for Iran, could be determined later.
What is a Framework Deal and Why It Is Important
In recent weeks, negotiations between the US and Iran have focused on reaching a so-called memorandum of understanding — a framework deal. If successful, this document would officially extend the ceasefire between the countries, gradually open the Strait of Hormuz, and set deadlines for further negotiations on the nuclear issue.
Last week, US and Iranian negotiating teams agreed on a draft agreement which, they said, could gain support from both Donald Trump and the Iranian regime. The version included a written commitment from Iran not to develop nuclear weapons — a promise that Iranian leaders have repeatedly made in recent years. However, the document did not contain specific promises regarding concessions, which became the reason for Trump's new demands.
Iran Reviews Conditions, But Response Remains Unclear
According to ABC, Iran is currently reviewing the updated conditions proposed by the US. However, negotiators have not yet indicated how likely it is that the Iranian regime will accept these demands. Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Tehran insists on concluding a temporary deal that would not address the most sensitive issues of the nuclear program.
Trump, for his part, stated that he expects a framework agreement with Iran to be concluded as early as next week. According to him, a peace deal would be even better than a military victory. But until the parties reach a consensus, the future of the negotiations remains uncertain.