Iran prepares nuclear counterproposal as Trump weighs military strikes

Iranian FM did not give specific timing for when Iran would deliver its counterproposal to Witkoff and Kushner but said a diplomatic deal could be achieved 'in a very short period of time'

Iran’s foreign minister said on Friday he expects to have a draft counterproposal ready within days following nuclear talks with the United States this week, while US President Donald Trump said he was considering limited military strikes.

 

Two US officials told Reuters that military planning on Iran had reached an advanced stage, with options including targeting individuals and even pursuing leadership change in Tehran, if ordered by Trump.

 

Trump on Thursday set a 10- to 15-day deadline for Tehran to reach a deal to resolve their longstanding nuclear dispute or face “really bad things,” amid a US military buildup in the Middle East that has raised fears of a wider conflict.

 

Threats of attack follow crackdown on mass protests

 

Asked on Friday if he was considering a limited strike to pressure Iran into a deal, Trump told reporters at the White House: "I guess I can say I am considering it." He later added: "They better negotiate a fair deal."

 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that after indirect discussions in Geneva this week with Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, the sides reached an understanding on main “guiding principles,” though a deal is not imminent. Araqchi told MS NOW he could have a draft counterproposal ready in the next two to three days for top Iranian officials to review, with more US-Iran talks possible in about a week. He warned that military action would complicate efforts to reach a deal.

 

After the US and Israel bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities and some military sites in June, Trump again threatened strikes in January as Tehran crushed widespread protests with deadly force. Referring to the crackdown, Trump claimed “32,000 people were killed over a relatively short period of time,” figures that could not be independently verified.

 

“They were going to hang 837 people. And I gave them the word, if you hang one person, even one person, that you’re going to be hit right then and there,” he said, asserting that his threats had led Iran’s leadership to abandon plans for mass executions.

 

The US-based group HRANA, which monitors human rights in Iran, has recorded 7,114 verified deaths and says another 11,700 are under review. Hours after Trump’s statements, Araqchi said Iran had already published a “comprehensive list” of all 3,117 killed in the unrest, urging anyone doubting the data to provide evidence.

 

Araqchi says deal possible in ‘very short period’

 

Araqchi did not give specific timing for when Iran would deliver its counterproposal to Witkoff and Kushner but said a diplomatic deal could be achieved “in a very short period of time.” United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric emphasised concerns over heightened rhetoric and increased military activity.

 

“We encourage both the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue to engage in diplomacy in order to settle the differences,” he said.

 

During the Geneva talks, the United States did not demand zero uranium enrichment, and Iran did not offer to suspend enrichment, Araqchi said. “What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever,” he said, adding that technical and political “confidence-building measures” would be enacted in exchange for action on sanctions.

 

“The president has been clear that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them, and that they cannot enrich uranium,” the White House said in response to Araqchi’s comments. 

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