Trump Weighs ‘Token’ Enrichment Proposal as Iran Talks Continue

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Trump administration is prepared to consider a proposal that would allow Iran limited or “token” nuclear enrichment provided it leaves no possible path to a nuclear weapon, a senior U.S. official told Axios, even as President Donald Trump has been presented with military options that include targeting high-ranking officials within the regime.

According to the report, U.S. officials said the bar for Iran’s forthcoming nuclear proposal is “very high,” as any plan would need to persuade skeptics inside the administration and in the region that Iran’s nuclear program poses no threat.

“President Trump will be ready to accept a deal that would be substantive and that he can sell politically at home. If the Iranians want to prevent an attack they should give us an offer we can't refuse. The Iranians keep missing the window. If they play games there won't be a lot of patience,” the senior U.S. official told Axios.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that an Iranian proposal would be finalized within the next two or three days. However, U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios that Trump could authorize a strike as soon as this weekend.

Axios reported that some of Trump’s advisers have counseled patience, arguing that as time passes and the U.S. military build-up grows, the president’s leverage will increase. At the same time, even some close advisers acknowledged uncertainty about the president’s decision-making timeline.

“The president hasn't decided to strike yet. I know that because we haven't struck. He might never do it. He might wake up tomorrow and say, 'That's it,'” one senior Trump adviser said. The adviser added that the Pentagon had presented Trump with numerous options for different scenarios.

Another senior adviser told Axios that “Trump is keeping his options open” and could decide on an attack “at any moment.” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “The media may continue to speculate on the President's thinking all they want, but only President Trump knows what he may or may not do.”

According to Axios, the public positions of Washington and Tehran on uranium enrichment appear incompatible. Trump has said repeatedly, including last week, that he does not want Iran to be able to enrich uranium. At the same time, Iran’s leadership has maintained that it will not give up what it describes as its right to enrichment for civilian purposes.

However, the senior U.S. official told Axios that if Iran’s proposal includes “small, token enrichment,” and if Tehran provides detailed proof that it poses no threat, the United States would study it.

The report said that after talks in Geneva on Tuesday, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner asked Araghchi to produce a detailed proposal addressing all U.S. concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program. The senior U.S. official said Witkoff and Kushner conveyed that Trump’s position remains “zero enrichment” on Iranian soil.

Araghchi, speaking on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe,” said the U.S. side did not ask Iran to agree to “zero enrichment” during the Geneva talks and denied that Iran had offered to temporarily suspend its enrichment program.

“What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran's nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever,” Araghchi said, adding that Iran would take “confidence-building measures” in return for sanctions relief.

Axios reported that Omani and Qatari mediators told both sides that any agreement would need to allow each to claim victory and, if possible, be acceptable to Gulf countries and Israel. Araghchi said in his interview that any deal “should be a win-win deal” that accommodates both sides’ interests and concerns.

According to the report, Iran is not currently enriching uranium because centrifuges in its nuclear facilities were largely destroyed by airstrikes last June. The United States and Israel have said they would strike again if enrichment resumes.

Trump said Friday that Iran “better negotiate a fair deal.”

At a press conference, he stated: “The people of Iran are very different than the leaders of Iran. It is a very sad situation… I feel very badly for the people of Iran. They lived in hell.” He also cited a figure of 32,000 protesters killed, a number put forward by Iranian opposition groups.

Araghchi rejected reports that 30,000 protesters were killed during unrest in Iran and provided an official figure of 3,117 deaths, stating that the names had been published. He said protests from late December to early January were initially peaceful but later involved what he described as armed elements.

Separately, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said in a letter that Tehran “will not initiate any war” but would respond “decisively, proportionately, and within the framework of its inherent right to self-defense” if subjected to military aggression.

According to previously reported details, Iravani cited public comments by Trump regarding the potential use of Diego Garcia and the airfield in Fairford. He described such statements as a “real danger of military aggression” and warned that bases and assets of a hostile force in the region would be considered legitimate targets in the event of an attack.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that U.S. lawmakers could vote as soon as next week on a resolution aimed at preventing Trump from launching a military strike against Iran without congressional approval. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and Republican Senator Rand Paul filed a Senate resolution to block hostilities absent explicit authorization by Congress. Similar efforts are underway in the House of Representatives.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare war, though presidents may conduct limited strikes for national security reasons. Previous war powers resolutions have failed, with Republicans holding slim majorities in both chambers.

In the United Kingdom, The Times reported that Prime Minister Keir Starmer blocked a U.S. request to use British air bases for potential strikes on Iran, citing international law concerns. The UK government said it supports the ongoing political process between Washington and Tehran and does not comment on operational matters.

Diplomatic contacts have continued amid the military preparations. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a telephone conversation with Araghchi, according to Moscow, and reiterated support for a diplomatic solution that respects Iran’s rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Axios reported that the U.S. official stressed any Iranian proposal must be “very detailed” and demonstrate that the nuclear program would be “benign.”

“We will see what he gives us in writing. Based on that, we will see how serious they are. The ball is in their court,” the official said.