The Trump administration is considering an Iranian proposal that would allow so‑called “token” uranium enrichment, according to senior US officials cited by Axios.
The potential concession would test the limits of longstanding US demands that Iran’s nuclear program not leave any possible path to a bomb.
Under the scenario outlined, Washington would evaluate a written Iranian offer in which Tehran retains minimal enrichment capacity but with strict safeguards to prevent any route to weaponization.
The report suggests this represents a narrow diplomatic opening between the red lines of the two sides, even as pressure mounts on the possibility of wider conflict.
At the same time, US President Donald Trump has been presented with military options that involve directly targeting the supreme leader, and US naval and air forces continue to arrive in the Middle East.
Potential US-Iran bargain on enrichment
Publicly, US officials have maintained that zero enrichment remains the standard for any deal with Tehran.
But US sources told Axios that the administration is open to a limited compromise, as long as it can be verified that any uranium enrichment is purely civilian and cannot be used as a stepping‑stone toward nuclear weapons development.
Tehran’s own position on enrichment appears to have evolved in recent talks. While Tehran has maintained a rigid stance on the issue, vowing that no external pressure will impact negotiations, Iranian officials have signaled willingness to reduce the level and perhaps the purity of uranium already enriched to 60 percent, a level far above what is needed for civil nuclear power but below weapons‑grade. This approach would hinge on monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
On Monday, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, met the UN nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, ahead of US-Iran nuclear talks to tackle their dispute over Tehran's nuclear program.
Days later, in an interview with MS NOW’s Joe Scarborough, Araghchi claimed that Iran was willing to implement “confidence-building measures” to “ensure that Iran's program cannot even be diverted to non-peaceful purposes” such as the possible construction of nuclear weapons.
Iran is said to be preparing a written counterproposal to send to Washington after approval in Tehran, Axios reported. The timing and details are unclear, but diplomats have indicated that the offer could outline limits on the number of centrifuges and the level of enrichment, framed to demonstrate compliance with peaceful use only.
Military options still on the table
Despite these diplomatic maneuvers, the US military buildup in the region continues to fuel uncertainty in Tehran and allied capitals. US officials have presented Trump with a series of operational options intended to either compel Iran to accept US terms or, if diplomacy fails, degrade Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure.
On Thursday, US Senator Lindsey Graham said that planning was underway for a possible joint US-Israel attack on Iran. Trump later added that the US was considering an initial, limited strike on Iran to force Tehran to agree to his demands regarding a deal.
“President Trump will be ready to accept a deal that would be substantive and that he can sell politically at home,” one senior official said, warning that if Tehran “plays games, there won’t be a lot of patience.”
Tobias Siegal contributed to this report.