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Tehran, June 2, 2025 — Iran is preparing to dismiss a recent nuclear proposal from the United States, calling it a “non-starter” that fails to address its key national interests. A senior Iranian diplomat close to the negotiations said on Monday that the offer lacks fairness and does not change Washington’s hardline stance on uranium enrichment or economic sanctions.
The U.S. proposal was delivered by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi during a brief visit to Tehran, where he continued his role as a mediator between the two countries. Despite five rounds of indirect discussions between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, the proposal has made little headway, Iranian sources say.
At the core of the impasse is Iran’s refusal to end uranium enrichment, a demand the U.S. considers critical to preventing nuclear weapons development. Iran, however, insists that its nuclear program is strictly for civilian use and that enrichment is a sovereign right under international law.
“The American position on uranium enrichment remains unchanged, and there’s no clarity about lifting sanctions,” the diplomat told reporters on condition of anonymity. “Iran’s assessment committee sees this proposal as entirely one-sided.”
Tehran continues to demand the full and immediate removal of all U.S. sanctions, particularly those affecting its vital oil and financial sectors. Washington, on the other hand, favors a gradual rollback of sanctions tied to Iran’s compliance with nuclear limits.
Adding to the tensions is President Donald Trump’s renewed “maximum pressure” campaign since returning to office earlier this year. The campaign includes additional sanctions and threats of military action if negotiations fail. Trump had previously withdrawn the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement in his first term, reimposing broad economic restrictions that have crippled Iran’s economy.
While some Iranian officials have floated the idea of a limited political deal—such as halting enrichment in exchange for access to frozen funds—the dominant view within Iran’s leadership remains skeptical of U.S. intentions.
The current stance from Tehran suggests that unless the U.S. makes significant adjustments to its proposal, any prospect of reviving a nuclear agreement remains slim.
