Scoop: Iran wants to explore interim nuclear deal in talks with U.S., sources say

Iran is considering proposing during talks with the U.S. that the two countries work on an interim nuclear agreement before pursuing negotiations over a comprehensive deal, a European diplomat and a source familiar with the issue thinking told Axios. Why it matters: President Trump has set a two-month deadline for negotiations with Iran on a new nuclear deal — and in the meantime ordered a build up of U.S. military forces in the Middle East as another option if diplomacy fails. If a deal isn't reached, Trump could order a U.S. military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities or support an Israeli strike.The sources said the Iranians think reaching a complex and highly technical nuclear deal in two months is unrealistic and they want to get more time on the clock to avoid an escalation. "The Iranians seem to believe that a sustainable deal is unlikely to be achieved in the timeframe that President Trump has in mind. It might therefore be necessary to consider an interim agreement as a way station toward a final deal," says Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group. The Iranian Mission to the UN declined to comment. Between the lines: An interim agreement between the U.S. and Iran could include suspending some of Iran's uranium enrichment activity, diluting its 60% enriched uranium stockpile and allowing UN inspectors more access to Iran's nuclear facilities. Experts told Axios these steps would only slightly increase Iran's timeline for developing a nuclear bomb. But they could help build trust for negotiations on a comprehensive deal. An interim agreement could also involve extending the "snapback" mechanism that was part of the 2015 nuclear deal. The mechanism, which triggers UN Security Council sanctions against Iran if it violates the agreement, is set to expire in October. France, the UK and Germany told Iran they are going to trigger the "snapback" of sanctions if no new deal is reached by the end of June. Yes, but: An interim agreement would likely also include demand from Iran that Trump suspend his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran's economy. It is not clear if Trump would be willing to do that. This week the Trump administration imposed two rounds of new sanctions against Iranian companies and individuals connected to the nuclear program and the oil industry.An Iranian proposal for an interim agreement could also further increase suspicion and skepticism in the Trump administration about Iranian leaders' intentions and whether they are trying to buy time without rolling back their nuclear program.Catch up quick: White House envoy Steve Witkoff is going to hold talks with the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday in Oman.While the U.S. still says the talks are going to be direct, the Iranians maintain the negotiations will be through Omani mediators. On Wednesday, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office there is "a little time ... but not much time" for negotiations. "When you start talks, you know pretty quickly whether they're going well or not. So the conclusion would be — when I feel they're not going well,"he said.Trump said his key demand is that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon."But if it requires military, we're going to have military. Israel will obviously be very involved in that — maybe even lead it. But nobody leads us. We do what we want to do," he said. The other side: On Thursday, the former head of Iran's national security council Ali Shamkhani, who is now a foreign policy adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said the continued military threats against Iran "may lead to deterrent measures."He suggested Iran could expel International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and cease to cooperate with the nuclear watchdog, and potentially transfer enriched materials "to secure locations" not monitored by the UN.

Iran is considering proposing during talks with the U.S. that the two countries work on an interim nuclear agreement before pursuing negotiations over a comprehensive deal, a European diplomat and a source familiar with the issue thinking told Axios.

Why it matters: President Trump has set a two-month deadline for negotiations with Iran on a new nuclear deal — and in the meantime ordered a build up of U.S. military forces in the Middle East as another option if diplomacy fails.

If a deal isn't reached, Trump could order a U.S. military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities or support an Israeli strike.

The sources said the Iranians think reaching a complex and highly technical nuclear deal in two months is unrealistic and they want to get more time on the clock to avoid an escalation. "The Iranians seem to believe that a sustainable deal is unlikely to be achieved in the timeframe that President Trump has in mind. It might therefore be necessary to consider an interim agreement as a way station toward a final deal," says Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group.

The Iranian Mission to the UN declined to comment. Between the lines: An interim agreement between the U.S.

and Iran could include suspending some of Iran's uranium enrichment activity, diluting its 60% enriched uranium stockpile and allowing UN inspectors more access to Iran's nuclear facilities. Experts told Axios these steps would only slightly increase Iran's timeline for developing a nuclear bomb. But they could help build trust for negotiations on a comprehensive deal.

An interim agreement could also involve extending the "snapback" mechanism that was part of the 2015 nuclear deal. The mechanism, which triggers UN Security Council sanctions against Iran if it violates the agreement, is set to expire in October. France, the UK and Germany told Iran they are going to trigger the "snapback" of sanctions if no new deal is reached by the end of June.

Yes, but: An interim agreement would likely also include demand from Iran that Trump suspend his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran's economy. It is not clear if Trump would be willing to do that. This week the Trump administration imposed two rounds of new sanctions against Iranian companies and individuals connected to the nuclear program and the oil industry.

An Iranian proposal for an interim agreement could also further increase suspicion and skepticism in the Trump administration about Iranian leaders' intentions and whether they are trying to buy time without rolling back their nuclear program.Catch up quick: White House envoy Steve Witkoff is going to hold talks with the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday in Oman.While the U.

S. still says the talks are going to be direct, the Iranians maintain the negotiations will be through Omani mediators. On Wednesday, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office there is "a little time .

.. but not much time" for negotiations.

"When you start talks, you know pretty quickly whether they're going well or not. So the conclusion would be — when I feel they're not going well,"he said.Trump said his key demand is that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.

"But if it requires military, we're going to have military. Israel will obviously be very involved in that — maybe even lead it. But nobody leads us.

We do what we want to do," he said. The other side: On Thursday, the former head of Iran's national security council Ali Shamkhani, who is now a foreign policy adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said the continued military threats against Iran "may lead to deterrent measures."He suggested Iran could expel International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and cease to cooperate with the nuclear watchdog, and potentially transfer enriched materials "to secure locations" not monitored by the UN.

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