Report: Iran may resume nuclear negotiations

Iran is considering proposals put forward by international mediators concerning its nuclear program, potentially opening a path toward renewed negotiations with the United States, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing five officials familiar with the diplomatic discussions. The reported proposals represent a possible breakthrough following weeks of Iranian resistance to further negotiations. The officials, including one American and two Iranians, described the proposals as substantive but did not disclose their details.

Qatar has taken a leading role in the diplomatic initiative, conducting two rounds of discussions in Tehran and hosting another round in Doha over the past week. Qatari representatives have also met Iranian officials in Armenia, according to two of the sources. US Vice President JD Vance has reportedly become a central supporter of the Qatari mediation effort, seeking to prevent another major military confrontation. Last month, Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, proposing direct negotiations that would address both the conflict and Iran's nuclear activities.

Rezaei subsequently portrayed the American approach as evidence that Washington had moderated its position toward Tehran. Vance, who opposed launching a full-scale war against Iran before the US and Israeli strikes in February, expressed optimism on Monday about the possibility of reaching an agreement. "The president and I both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement," Vance said, while emphasizing that President Donald Trump retained both military and nonmilitary options.

The diplomatic developments come as Washington and Jerusalem have been considering another major offensive against Iran. American and Israeli military planners have reportedly identified potential targets, including energy facilities and infrastructure critical to the Iranian economy. A central obstacle in the negotiations remains Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Trump has demanded that Iran relinquish the material, while Iranian officials have rejected transferring it abroad.

Previous negotiations included discussions about reducing the uranium's enrichment level inside Iran under international supervision. According to an International Atomic Energy Agency assessment, Iran possessed approximately 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium as of June 2025, an amount experts say could potentially be used to produce several nuclear weapons. Another major disagreement concerns Iran's conditions for renewed negotiations.

In a televised address on Saturday, Rezaei insisted that Tehran would not enter nuclear discussions without American concessions, including the release of frozen Iranian funds, the removal of sanctions on Iranian oil, and an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports. However, the report indicated that Rezaei has taken a more flexible position in private discussions with Qatari mediators. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf have also participated in the diplomatic contacts.

The negotiations follow the breakdown of a ceasefire reached between Washington and Tehran in June. That agreement was intended to facilitate nuclear negotiations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but its collapse was followed by intermittent military confrontations. As of Thursday morning, both Iran and the United States were assessing the latest proposals intended to narrow their remaining differences. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have warned that another attack would prompt retaliation against a broader range of targets.

Senior figures in Tehran have also been discussing the possibility of withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Gulf states have expressed concern that renewed American and Israeli strikes could trigger Iranian attacks against their territories. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said at a security conference in Bahrain over the weekend that Gulf countries opposed another round of regional fighting and favored a negotiated resolution to the crisis.