In a major development in the ongoing nuclear negotiations, Iran has signaled it will reject the United States’ current proposal and present a counteroffer through diplomatic backchannel Oman. What does this mean for the fragile path toward a new nuclear agreement?
Iran Rejects US Offer, Eyes Alternative Deal
Iran has made it clear: the nuclear deal proposal tabled by the United States during the fifth round of talks last month isn’t good enough. According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, the proposal lacks key components, most importantly the full lifting of US sanctions—Tehran’s central demand.
“We will soon submit our own proposed plan to the other side through Oman once it is finalised,” Baghaei stated on Monday.
This is the first public acknowledgment from Tehran that it plans to push back formally on Washington’s framework. The move introduces a new wrinkle into already strained negotiations aimed at reviving a nuclear agreement abandoned by former US President Donald Trump in 2018.
What’s at Stake?
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Iran and the United States have been locked in talks since April, attempting to revive or replace the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—a deal that once limited Iran’s uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief.
But the fundamental clash remains: Washington insists Iran must scale back its nuclear ambitions. Tehran, meanwhile, says uranium enrichment is a “nonnegotiable” right. This impasse, paired with Trump’s reimposed “maximum pressure” sanctions since January, has plunged the talks into deeper uncertainty.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week firmly dismissed the US proposal, pledging continued enrichment on Iranian soil—something Western nations view as a potential path to nuclear weapons. Iran, however, continues to maintain that its program is strictly for peaceful energy purposes.
IAEA Adds More Pressure
Adding to the tension is the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This week, its Board of Governors is convening in Vienna following a critical report citing Iran’s “less than satisfactory” cooperation, especially regarding nuclear traces found at undeclared sites. Tehran has fired back, calling the report unbalanced and based on “forged documents” allegedly provided by Israel.
What’s Next?
As Iran finalizes its counterproposal, it plans to deliver it to Washington via Oman, a country that has historically played a neutral mediation role in Iran-West relations. The timeline for the sixth round of nuclear talks remains unclear.
While diplomacy remains on the table, it’s increasingly evident that both sides are hardening their positions. Iran wants sanctions relief. The US wants guarantees. And the world watches, wondering if compromise is still possible in a conflict that could shape the future of global nuclear policy.