The White House is considering a deal with Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions. According to CNN, the US administration is discussing with allies and partners the idea of giving Tehran up to $30 billion in investments in its civilian nuclear programme, partial lifting of sanctions, and access to $6 billion in frozen assets under one key condition: a complete renunciation of uranium enrichment.
Sources in the entourage of former President Donald Trump specify that the talks are at an early stage and the proposals under discussion are preliminary. However, the central US demand remains unchanged – Tehran must stop enriching uranium, which is seen by Washington as a critical measure to prevent the development of an Iranian nuclear bomb.
Among the incentives under consideration is the creation of a new civilian nuclear programme in Iran that would not include enrichment elements. The estimated investment is between $20 billion and $30 billion. An important detail: funding for this project is expected to come from the U.S.’s Arab partners in the region, including the Gulf states. As one of the officials noted, the US is ready to lead the diplomatic part of the process, but does not intend to bear the financial obligations.
Another initiative is the partial unfreezing of Iranian assets, including $6 billion previously frozen in South Korea and subsequently transferred to Qatar. These funds were generated by Iran from oil sales and could be used again if an agreement is reached.
According to the two sources, an alternative proposal being discussed is the rebuilding of the destroyed US-attacked Fordow facility. Instead of rebuilding the uranium enrichment centre, it is proposed to build a civilian nuclear facility in its place, focused solely on energy purposes. Funding would also presumably come from U.S. allies in the region.
