Iran has told the United States that it is willing to suspend or even shut down its nuclear program to ease ongoing tensions in the Middle East, but prefers an alternative solution supported by the United States: the creation of a regional consortium for nuclear energy production.
This has been confirmed by American and Iranian officials to the New York Times, emphasizing that the proposal for the consortium was presented by Tehran last year as a way to maintain civilian nuclear capabilities without being perceived as a military threat.
According to diplomatic sources, Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, held a meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent days. During the meeting, Larijani conveyed a personal message from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The message says Iran is ready to send its enriched uranium stockpiles to Russia, a mechanism similar to that implemented under the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Under the JCPOA, Tehran agreed to strict limits on uranium enrichment and transferred most of its nuclear material abroad in exchange for relief from international sanctions. The deal was severely shaken after the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018.
Iran’s new proposal aims to provide additional guarantees to the international community while preserving the country’s right to civilian nuclear energy. A regional consortium, with US support and oversight, would include several states and reduce the risk of military use of the technology.
The development comes at an extremely sensitive moment for the region, amid growing fears of a broader military escalation and international pressure over Iran’s nuclear program.
Although there has yet to be an official public reaction from the White House, diplomatic sources say Washington is seriously considering Tehran’s signal as a possible window for diplomacy after years of deadlock and confrontation.