Iran is open to making concessions to reach a nuclear accord with the United States, provided Washington is willing to discuss lifting sanctions, a senior Iranian minister told the BBC.
U.S. officials have repeatedly stated that progress is being blocked by Iran, not by Washington.
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump favored a deal but acknowledged it would be very difficult to achieve one with Iran.
In an interview with the BBC in Tehran, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said the onus was now on America to show they want a deal, adding, “If they are sincere, I’m confident we will move toward an agreement.”
Trump has warned of strikes if a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program cannot be reached, and the U.S. has increased its regional military presence. This stance comes after Iran’s widespread crackdown on protests nationwide last month, during which human rights groups say thousands were killed.
Indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran took place in Oman earlier this month, with Takht-Ravanchi confirming a second round was planned in Geneva on Tuesday. He said the discussions had been “more or less positive,” though it was too soon to judge, and Trump also described those talks as positive.
Takht-Ravanchi pointed to Tehran’s offer to dilute its stock of uranium enriched to 60% as evidence of Iran’s willingness to compromise. Although this enrichment level is close to weapons-grade, Iran has consistently denied aiming to develop a nuclear weapon.
“We are ready to discuss this and other aspects of our program if the Americans are prepared to talk about sanctions,” Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC. He did not specify whether this would mean lifting all or some sanctions.
Regarding whether Iran would agree to ship its stockpile of over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium out of the country, as it did under the 2015 nuclear deal, Takht-Ravanchi said it was too early to say what would happen in negotiations.
Russia, which previously accepted 11,000 kilograms of low-enriched uranium under the 2015 accord (which Trump exited three years later), has offered to take the material again.
Other previously reported proposals include Tehran’s offer to temporarily suspend enrichment.
One major Iranian demand is that talks address only the nuclear file. Takht-Ravanchi said Iran believes that achieving a deal requires focusing on the nuclear issue, noting that it appears the other side has arrived at that conclusion.
If confirmed, this would mark a significant step forward for Iran, which has long viewed Washington’s insistence on zero enrichment as a non-starter and a breach of its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC that the “zero enrichment” issue is no longer on the table from Iran’s perspective. This stands in contrast to Trump’s recent statements that the United States does not want any enrichment.
Iran’s negotiator reiterated Tehran’s refusal to discuss its ballistic missile program with American negotiators—a key concern for Israel, which has expressed alarm over the missiles. The issue, along with Iran’s support for regional armed groups, has been emphasized by U.S. officials, including Rubio.
“If we were attacked by Israelis and Americans, our missiles would come to our defense, so how can we accept surrendering our defensive capabilities?” Takht-Ravanchi said.
The senior diplomat, who helped steer Iran’s talks more than a decade ago, also voiced concern about the U.S. president’s shifting messages. “We’re hearing publicly that they’re interested in negotiations; privately, through Oman, there are signals suggesting a peaceful resolution,” he said.
Trump’s recent remarks about regime change were contrasted with what Takht-Ravanchi described as private messages urging a peaceful settlement. The Oman-based mediator, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi, and other regional powers, including Qatar, have been playing significant roles.
Takht-Ravanchi warned against a new war, calling it traumatic for all and especially for those who initiated aggression, and suggested Iran would respond if it felt existential threats. He noted that American military bases in the region would be legitimate targets for Iran in such a scenario.
Iran has previously avoided American casualties in attacks, including strikes on the Al-Udeid base in Qatar following last year’s U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear sites. With more than 40,000 U.S. troops stationed nearby, Takht-Ravanchi said that would “change the game.”
Iran’s leadership has been in close contact with regional counterparts who are urging restraint to avoid a broader conflict with wide-reaching consequences. Takht-Ravanchi claimed broad regional consensus against war.
Iran has also argued that Israel is attempting to derail the negotiations. Takht-Ravanchi said diplomacy remains the goal, though Iran cannot be certain of results and will stay vigilant for potential surprises. This follows an attack by Israel last June that precipitated a 12-day conflict just before a planned round of indirect talks in Oman, leaving Tehran wary of the process.
Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, have criticized prior rounds where understandings reached in one session were altered by the next. The presence of U.S. President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner at the February talks was seen by Iran as a positive signal of deeper U.S. engagement.
At the same time, questions remain about Iran’s willingness to make the hard compromises a deal requires. While many observers doubt a new agreement is within reach, Takht-Ravanchi said Iran will push forward to Geneva with the hope that a deal can be achieved, adding, “We will do our best, but the other side must also prove they are sincere.”
The BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet reported from Tehran under a condition that none of her material be used on the BBC’s Persian Service. These restrictions apply to all international media operating in Iran.
