Narrow window opens: What’s in the proposals mediators laid out ahead of Iran‑US talks in Oman? | World News

Iran-US Talks: According to Al Jazeera, mediators from Qatar, Türkiye and Egypt shared a series of proposals with Iran and the USA before the talks between Tehran and Washington to be held in Oman on Friday, February 6. The plan calls for Iran to reduce its uranium enrichment and move its existing stockpiles to another country.

The proposals reportedly go beyond nuclear restrictions, including measures to prevent the use of ballistic missiles and the supply of weapons to regional non-state allies. The report stated that the talks, which were expected to include US Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, were shifted from Türkiye to Oman.

The proposal suggests that Iran would completely stop enriching uranium for three years and then reduce the enrichment rate to below 1.5 percent. Under the plan, a stockpile of highly enriched uranium, containing approximately 440 kilograms enriched up to 60 percent, will be moved to a third country. Mediators also demand that Iran accept a non-aggression stance against the United States and refrain from supplying weapons or transferring technology to its regional allies.

It is unclear how Washington or Tehran will respond to this offer. US officials have emphasized that any agreement must include regulations regarding Iran’s nuclear program, missiles and proxies. While Iran has previously shown a willingness to compromise on nuclear development (as reflected in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), Tehran has resisted discussing its support for non-state allies or limiting its ballistic missiles.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday that Iran remains focused solely on nuclear talks and the lifting of sanctions. On Tuesday, President Masoud Pezeshkian broadcast on channel X that he had instructed the country’s foreign minister to focus on resuming fair and balanced negotiations.

The offer coincided with Witkoff’s meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and intelligence officials in Israel. Analysts said the United States entered these negotiations with significant influence as Iran faces intense internal and external pressures.

A US aircraft carrier, fighter jets and navy destroyers are currently positioned in the Arabian Sea, posing a military threat to Tehran. At the same time, Iran was shaken by widespread protests in December and January, which saw unprecedented violence. Despite these pressures, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei maintained his defiant stance. This leaves experts uncertain whether Tehran would be willing to make any concessions.

Diplomatic efforts between Iran and the United States are not new. Officials had previously met in Muscat in June to discuss nuclear agreements, but talks stalled after Israel’s air strikes on Iranian targets. The attacks triggered a 12-day conflict that culminated in the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities and a symbolic attack on Iran’s Al Udeid military base in Qatar.

Since then, Tehran has reportedly replenished its stock of ballistic missiles and warned of retaliation if attacked. Washington is particularly concerned about Iran’s missiles after large numbers successfully penetrated Israel’s Iron Dome during the 12-day war.

The tension continued this week. On Tuesday, the United States shot down an Iranian drone that approached the USS Abraham Lincoln, while Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces reportedly harassed a US-flagged merchant ship in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The offer offers both countries a tenuous but critical opportunity to stabilize relations and reduce the risk of further escalation as diplomats prepare for talks in Oman on Friday.