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A United States proposal presented to Iran on Saturday would allow limited low-level uranium enrichment within Iran for an unspecified period, despite earlier public denials from senior U.S. officials, Axios reported Monday.
The offer, according to the U.S.-based news outlet, would halt Iran’s research and development of new centrifuges, restrict enrichment to civilian purposes, and establish a regional oversight consortium to monitor compliance.
The proposal appears to contradict previous U.S. statements asserting Washington would not permit any Iranian uranium enrichment and would demand full dismantlement of Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure.
The proposal would bar Iran from constructing new enrichment sites and require dismantling critical uranium-processing facilities, according to sources cited by Axios.
It would also require Iran to reduce enrichment levels to 3% temporarily and shut down underground enrichment facilities for an unspecified duration. Above-ground enrichment would be limited to levels permitted for reactor fuel under International Atomic Energy Agency standards.
The plan reportedly includes stringent monitoring measures, including immediate adoption of the IAEA’s Additional Protocol, which grants inspectors the authority to conduct environmental sampling at both declared and undeclared sites.
Sanctions relief would be conditional and granted only if Iran demonstrates “real commitment,” satisfying the requirements of both the United States and the IAEA, the report said.
The offer appears to present a more practical framework for reaching an agreement, as Iran has consistently refused to sign any deal that bans civilian enrichment.
When contacted by Axios, the White House neither confirmed nor denied the details of the reported proposal.
The fifth round of nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran took place May 23 in Rome under Omani mediation.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran, is pursuing a new agreement. He has repeatedly stated that Iran will not be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon.
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