Donald Trump Says He Is Agreeable to 20-Year Iran Nuclear Program Suspension

US President Donald Trump said he is “agreeable” to a 20-year suspension of Iran’s nuclear program if Tehran offers a “real commitment,” speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after leaving Beijing on Friday, May 15.

Trump told reporters, “Twenty years is enough, but the level of guarantee provided by them must truly be a real commitment for those 20 years,” while also saying he is considering lifting sanctions on Chinese companies that purchase Iranian oil and will reach a decision within the next few days.

Al Jazeera

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran has received messages from Washington indicating the US is willing to continue negotiations, adding that reports claiming the US had rejected Iran’s response referred to a few days ago when Trump tweeted it was “unacceptable.”

Araghchi expressed doubt about US sincerity, saying, “As soon as we feel and ensure they are serious and ready for a fair deal, we will return to the negotiations.”

Araghchi told reporters in New Delhi that “contradictory messages” have made Iran reluctant about the real intention of the Americans on negotiations, and he said Pakistan-mediated talks have not collapsed but are “in difficulty.”

In the same BRICS context, Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and is interested in negotiating only if Washington proves it is serious about diplomacy.

Al-Quds al-Arabi

Trump’s remarks on the 20-year idea were framed as a shift from earlier US demands, with the BBC noting Trump said the suspension had to be a “real 20 years” after previously calling for Iran to permanently cease enriching uranium.

The BBC also reported that Trump said his patience was running out, with no sign of a breakthrough in talks, as Israeli and US forces began massive air strikes on Iran on 28 February and a ceasefire since last month has been largely observed.

Beyond the nuclear question, Trump said the two sides had agreed Tehran could not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which it is currently blocking, prompting a rise in world oil prices, the BBC reported.

The BBC said Pakistan has been playing the role of mediator and that both sides appear far apart, having rejected each other’s most recent proposals to end the war, while the ceasefire has been largely observed.

In a separate account, IranWire reported that other NATO members, including the German government, refused to cooperate with the US in reopening the Strait of Hormuz and stated, “Iran must completely and verifiably renounce nuclear weapons and immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz.”

Reuters and the BBC both described the negotiations as ongoing but constrained by the US demand for guarantees and Iran’s insistence on messages from Washington, leaving the next phase dependent on whether a “real commitment” can be translated into a deal that also addresses Hormuz and the war.