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Oak Ridge nuclear talks
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee for consultations with a team of technical experts who could play a role in nuclear negotiations with Iran, Axios reported.
Axios said the White House is trying to reach a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran to end the war and begin in-depth nuclear negotiations, and wants experts ready in case those talks begin.
Axios reported that the envoys agreed terms with Iranian counterparts last week on a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, allow Iran to sell oil, and launch talks on Iran's enriched uranium stockpile and limitations on future enrichment.
The talks are still described as uncertain, with Axios reporting that “it remains unclear whether agreement will ultimately be reached,” even as U.S. officials told the outlet that the negotiations are in a serious phase.
Dawn’s live updates also framed the broader context as war returning to Iran with Israel, US strikes, and noted that Iran, US agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 8 that was later extended indefinitely and remains in place.
Deadlines and frozen funds
Axios reported that Trump asked for two amendments to the MOU text last Friday, and that the Iranians would seek their own changes, with U.S. officials and regional sources saying the gaps were relatively narrow.
One specific dispute described by Axios was the timeline for easing Iran’s enriched uranium, with Trump requesting a 60-day deadline and the Iranians wanting a 90 days window, according to two sources briefed on the talks.
Axios also said there is disagreement over how much of Iran's frozen billions would be released and when, with the U.S. saying it would release funds after a final deal and concrete steps, while the Iranians want some released immediately.
In a separate account, Al Jazeera Net said the United States awaits the official Iranian response and that sources indicated divergences were relatively minor, including the same 60-day versus 90-day deadline described as an example.
Al Jazeera Net added that an American official said the meeting in Oak Ridge “does not mean the agreement will be reached,” but indicates the negotiations are in a very serious phase and that there is a good chance of achieving it.
Iran’s conditions and next round
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with RT, as carried by پايگاه خبری الف, that he has instructed his team to work on a plan or practical proposal that can guarantee “there will be no nuclear weapons.”
“Axios reported that the two Trump administration envoys, Steve Weitkoff and Jared Kushner, traveled today (Thursday) to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee to hold consultations with a team of technical experts who may play a role in nuclear negotiations with Iran”
Araghchi said the peaceful nature of enrichment is important, stating that “For power-generating reactors, enrichment below 5 percent is required,” while “in some specific cases like the Tehran Research Reactor (TRR), enrichment of up to 20 percent is needed.”
He also argued that Iran still does not have full trust in the Americans, saying “the last time we negotiated, in June last year, in the middle of the talks, they decided to attack us,” and said Iran needs tangible guarantees that such a scenario will not be repeated.
Anadolu Ajansı reported that Araqchi said Kushner and Vitkov are seeking to prevent war and find a diplomatic solution, and added that Tehran is ready for serious negotiations if pursued seriously, though there is not yet full trust.
Al Jazeera Net said the next step is that the United States awaits Iran’s official response for a second round of negotiations in Geneva, and that the U.S. expects to receive Iran’s response at the Geneva meeting.
