Iran prepares counterproposal as Trump considers strike
Iran’s foreign minister said he expected a draft counteroffer to be ready within days following nuclear talks with the United States this week, while President Donald Trump said he was considering limited military strikes.
Asked whether he was considering a limited strike to pressure Iran to reach a deal on its nuclear program, Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday: “I think I can say I’m considering it.”
Later, when asked about Iran at the White House press conference, he said: “It would be better if they make a fair deal.”
Speaking to Reuters, two US officials said that US military planning against Iran has reached an advanced stage, and there are options such as targeting individuals as part of the attack and even making a leadership change in Tehran on Trump’s instructions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in an interview on MS NOW earlier Friday that the draft counteroffer could be ready in the next two or three days for senior Iranian officials to review, and further U.S.-Iran talks could be possible within a week.
The official added that military action would complicate efforts to reach an agreement.
Following indirect talks with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in Geneva on Tuesday, Araqchi said the parties had agreed on basic “guiding principles” but that did not mean a deal was close.
Trump on Thursday gave Tehran a 10- to 15-day deadline to make a deal or face “really bad things” amid a U.S. military buildup that has fueled fears of a broader war in the Middle East.
Araqchi did not give an exact timing for when the Iranians would submit their overtures to Witkoff and Kushner, but said he believed a diplomatic agreement could be reached and achieved “in a very short time.”
United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric reiterated his concerns about the increased rhetoric and increased military activities in the region.
“We encourage both the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue diplomacy to resolve differences,” he said at a regular news briefing. he said.
Araqchi told US cable television news network MS NOW that during the Geneva talks, the US did not seek zero uranium enrichment and Iran did not offer to suspend enrichment.
“We have not proposed any suspension, and the US side has not requested zero enrichment,” he said.
“What we’re talking about now is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever.”
He added that technical and political “confidence-building measures” would be put in place to ensure the program remains peaceful in exchange for action on sanctions, but did not provide further details.
“The President has made clear that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons or the capacity to produce them and cannot enrich uranium,” the White House said when asked about Araqchi’s comments. he said.
