Iran Signals Willingness to Compromise on Nuclear Programme if Sanctions Are Lifted

Iran has indicated readiness to compromise on its stockpile of highly enriched uranium if the United States agrees to lift sanctions imposed on its economy.

The statement was made by Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi following the resumption of nuclear talks between both countries held in Oman on February 6. He said Tehran is open to negotiations that could include reducing or diluting its uranium stockpile, provided Washington demonstrates what he described as sincerity.

According to him, progress toward an agreement depends on the removal of sanctions that Iran says have severely affected its economy. He also suggested that it is too early to determine whether Tehran would agree to ship its stockpile of more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium out of the country.

A new round of negotiations is expected to take place in Geneva next week, according to an announcement by Switzerland, though Iranian authorities have yet to officially confirm the meeting date. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led Tehran’s delegation in the earlier Oman talks.

Western governments, led by Washington and backed by Israel, accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons capability. Tehran denies the allegation, insisting its nuclear programme is strictly for civilian purposes.

The fate of Iran’s uranium reserves remains uncertain. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency last verified the stockpile in June, before reported Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The agency says Iran has enriched uranium to about 60 percent purity—well above the 3.67 percent limit set by the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal and close to weapons-grade levels.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted on a zero-enrichment standard for Iran. Takht-Ravanchi, however, said that demand is “not on the table” from Tehran’s perspective.

Reports from Iran’s Fars news agency also suggest the talks could cover potential American investments in Iran’s energy sector, signaling that economic incentives may play a role in future negotiations.