Iran signaled willingness to compromise on a nuclear deal if the US discusses sanctions relief, as Washington reiterated it will never allow Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons.
US-Iran Nuclear Deal Tehran Seeks Sanctions Relief, Washington Warns on Weapons
Iran has said it is open to making compromises to reach a nuclear agreement with the United States, provided Washington is willing to talk about easing sanctions. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi confirmed.
Takht-Ravanchi said the responsibility now lies with the US to show seriousness. “The ball was in America’s court to prove that they want to do a deal.” He added, “If they are sincere, I’m sure we will be on the road to an agreement.”
At the same time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it clear that Washington will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. “Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. That’s pretty clear,” Rubio said.
He stressed that this has long been the US position, warning that a nuclear-armed Iran would be a major threat to both regional and global security. Rubio also pointed out that the United States keeps military forces in the Middle East because Iran has previously shown a willingness to attack American interests.
His comments come as the United States increases its military presence in the region, including reports that a second US aircraft carrier is being deployed.
The Iran nuclear agreement dates back to July 2015, when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed between Iran and several world powers, including the United States. Under the deal, Iran agreed to cap uranium enrichment at 3.67 per cent and limit its stockpile to 300 kilograms.
However, the agreement collapsed in 2018 after then-President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal.
According to reports, the US and Iran are expected to hold the next round of nuclear talks on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland. US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are likely to attend the meeting.
Trump has recently repeated his push for a deal and warned of serious consequences if talks fail. Speaking to reporters, he described his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “very good” and said, “We have to make a deal, otherwise it is going to be very traumatic (for Iran) and I don’t want it to happen… If they don’t make a deal, it is going to be a different story.”
Earlier rounds of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States were held in April 2025 in Muscat, Oman, and Rome, Italy.
However, tensions escalated on June 21–22, 2025, when the US carried out airstrikes under ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’. The attacks targeted three major Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Iran strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a serious violation of international law and the UN Charter.
Meanwhile, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced separate trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, scheduled to take place in Geneva on February 17–18.
