Iran seeks a peace deal with the US over its nuclear programme

Iran is interested in a peace deal with the United States over its nuclear facilities. The aim is to end decades of tensions between the two countries. Tehran, however, stresses that such a move must not jeopardise its national security, Reuters reported today, citing Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh.

The United States, along with its European allies and Israel, has long accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons under the guise of its nuclear programme. Iran, however, says its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes.

In October, US President Donald Trump said the United States was ready to start talks with Tehran as soon as Iran was interested.

Khatibzadeh said today, according to Reuters, that Washington was sending Tehran conflicting messages through third countries about negotiations on its nuclear programme. “Tehran is not seeking nuclear bombs and is ready to reassure the world of that,” Khatibzadeh said.

A fundamental difference remains between the two sides. The United States wants Iran to reduce uranium enrichment to zero, which Tehran rejects.

Relations between Washington and Tehran most recently escalated in mid-June this year, when Israel launched a large-scale military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, including targets near residential areas. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks that also hit civilian infrastructure. The United States joined the conflict, waging a 12-day war with Iran. Tehran responded with an attack on the Al Udeid air base in Qatar. Trump eventually declared a ceasefire on 24 June. Israel and the United States say the attacks were aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

The United States and Iran have held five rounds of talks on the nuclear programme, but negotiations were suspended after the June conflict, with Khatibzadeh accusing Trump of undermining diplomatic efforts.

During Trump’s first term, the United States withdrew from the 2015 international agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme (JCPOA), which provided for extensive easing of anti-Iran sanctions in exchange for limits on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and guarantees that Iran would not develop nuclear weapons.

After withdrawing from the agreement, Trump reinstated sanctions against Iran, and Tehran began significantly violating the limits on uranium enrichment. Uranium enrichment is a process that increases the concentration of the fissile isotope in natural uranium.