Trump open to limited Iran deal, military options remain

US President Donald Trump is open to considering an Iranian proposal for "token" nuclear enrichment, as long as it eliminates any potential route to developing a nuclear weapon, according to senior US officials reported Friday.

The news comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is finalizing a proposal expected to be shared with Washington within days. He said the plan would include political commitments and technical measures to ensure the program is exclusively civilian, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

According to a report by website Axios, Washington’s official position remains “zero enrichment” on Iranian soil. However, a senior official said the administration would review a proposal that includes small, symbolic, or “token” enrichment if Iran offers detailed guarantees.

“President Trump will be ready to accept a deal that would be substantive and that he can sell politically at home,” the official said, adding that any proposal must be detailed and demonstrate that Iran’s nuclear program would be peaceful.

Axios also reported that Trump has been presented with military options, including scenarios targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba, who is seen as a potential successor, and other senior clerics. A second source confirmed that a plan to kill Khamenei and his son was presented to Trump several weeks ago.

Sources told the outlet that no final decision has been made.

A senior White House official said any Iranian proposal must be “very detailed” and prove the nuclear program would be “benign,” adding that Washington would evaluate the offer once it is submitted in writing.

The news follows warnings by Trump that US military action against Iran might be imminent, amid a buildup of US forces in the region.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli