US presented Iran with first written nuclear deal proposal in May talks

The Trump administration presented Iran with a written proposal for a new nuclear deal during the fourth round of negotiations on May 11, marking the first formal offer since talks resumed in early April, according to a US official and two sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff handed the document to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a meeting in Oman. Araghchi then returned to Tehran to consult with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and other senior officials, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

Speaking during his trip to Saudi Arabia on May 13, President Trump said that he’d presented “an olive branch” to Iranians, but stressed "this is not an offer that will last forever. The time is right now for them to choose."

The move followed several rounds of preliminary dialogue. During the first round, Araghchi had presented Witkoff with a set of Iranian proposals, but the US envoy declined to engage with the document at the time, stating it was premature. In the third round, held in late April, Iran submitted a revised version, which Witkoff accepted for review.

A team of American experts examined the Iranian proposal and responded with a series of questions and requests for clarification. Iran replied posing questions of its own, sources said.

Meanwhile, Witkoff’s team began drafting the US offer, outlining Washington’s framework for a civilian nuclear program in Iran, including stipulations for monitoring and verification.

One notable point of contention has been the scope of Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities. Witkoff and other US officials have previously offered mixed messages on this issue. The decision to formally state the US position in writing is seen as a significant step.

A senior adviser to Khamenei told NBC News on May 14 that Iran is open to a deal allowing only low-level enrichment for civilian purposes. The agreement would also require Iran to give up its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium under international inspection, in exchange for the full lifting of sanctions.

Witkoff described the US proposal as “elegant” and “very big” in a briefing to the UN Security Council last week, but acknowledged that more progress is needed.

The talks in Oman took place just a day before President Trump began his Middle East tour. While a fifth round of US-Iran negotiations has not yet been scheduled, officials close to the process say Witkoff remains encouraged by the progress made in the fourth round.

“I hope you can help me with the Iran situation. It's a perilous situation, and we want to do the right thing,” Trump told Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim al-Thani during a meeting on May 14. “We’re not going to let this spiral out of control.”

By Sabina Mammadli