Iran to Present Counter-Proposal to U.S.; U.S. Says Talks Will Resume

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Iran announced that it will soon submit a counter-proposal for a nuclear agreement in response to a U.S. offer deemed "unacceptable" by Tehran. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that negotiations between the two countries will continue.

Speaking at the White House, President Trump said the key point of contention remains Iran’s demand to continue uranium enrichment on its own soil. "They're just asking for things that you can't do. They don't want to give up what they have to give up," he stated. "They seek enrichment. We can't have enrichment."

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that Tehran was preparing its counter-proposal to the U.S. draft presented in late May. He did not specify the timing for a sixth round of talks.

While President Trump mentioned that the next round of negotiations might take place on Thursday, both a senior Iranian official and a U.S. official later indicated that Thursday was unlikely. According to Baghaei, "based on recent consultations, the next round of Iran–U.S. indirect negotiations is being planned for next Sunday in Muscat," as shared via the ministry’s Telegram channel.

Baghaei described the forthcoming Iranian proposal as “reasonable, logical, and balanced,” stating, "The U.S. proposal is not acceptable to us. It was not the result of previous rounds of negotiations. We will present our own proposal to the other side via Oman after it is finalised."

He further emphasised, "We must ensure, prior to the lifting of sanctions, that Iran will effectively benefit economically and that its banking and trade relations with other countries will return to normal."

Reuters previously reported that Tehran had been drafting a negative response to the U.S. offer, which failed to address disputes regarding uranium enrichment, the export of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, and credible guarantees for sanctions relief.

During his first term in 2018, President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, reinstating sanctions that severely impacted the Iranian economy. Iran subsequently resumed uranium enrichment at levels far exceeding those allowed under the deal.

Five rounds of nuclear talks have been held since 12 April 2025, with further negotiations expected. However, major disagreements persist, particularly concerning sanctions and uranium enrichment, posing ongoing obstacles to reaching a new agreement.



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