U.S. President Donald Trump said he may reach a deal to end hostilities with Iran before his trip to China on Nov. 14-15. Tehran, however, said only that it was reviewing the proposal, pushing back against the prospect of an early agreement.
In an interview with PBS News on Nov. 6 (local time), Trump was asked whether a deal with Iran was imminent. "I think so, and there is a very strong chance we'll reach an agreement," he said. "It's possible before I leave for China next week."
Trump cautioned, however, that "I've had that feeling before in negotiations with them, so we'll have to see how it goes," warning that "if a deal isn't reached, we'll bomb them again." Islamabad, Pakistan, and Geneva, Switzerland, are being discussed as possible venues for the talks.
Trump also disclosed parts of the ongoing negotiations. Asked whether shipping Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States "might" be part of the deal, he said, "Not 'might' — they'll be sending it to the United States," adding that "Iran not operating its underground nuclear facilities could also be part of the agreement." The freeze on uranium enrichment is reportedly being discussed at 12 to 15 years. Washington initially demanded 20 years while Tehran proposed five, suggesting the two sides are narrowing their differences.
U.S. online outlet Axios reported that the United States and Iran are close to signing a one-page memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU reportedly includes a temporary suspension of Iran's nuclear enrichment and a gradual lifting of restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz by both Iran and the United States. Another outlet, WIRED, reported that U.S. negotiators proposed unfreezing roughly $20 billion in Iranian assets. The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington demanded Iran hand over not only highly enriched but all enriched nuclear material.
Iran has yet to issue an official response and has denied parts of the reports, prompting analysts to suggest the talks are running into difficulties.
Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency quoted a source as saying, "Iran has not yet formally responded to the U.S. proposal, which contains some unacceptable provisions," adding that "shipping enriched uranium abroad is out of the question."
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament and head of the Iranian negotiating team, said on social media that "the Axios report is not true." Iran's Foreign Ministry said it was "reviewing the U.S. proposal and will finalize its position before relaying it to Pakistan, the mediator," while the Defense Ministry said, "The path to ending the war will open only when the U.S. and Israel recognize the rights of the Iranian people and the U.S. distances itself from Israel."
The WSJ noted that "the United States and Iran appear set to focus intensively on issues related to Iran's nuclear program for a month in Pakistan starting next week," adding that "significant differences remain over enrichment limits and nuclear inspections, making a deal far from certain."
