- Washington is not pushing for a complete halt to enrichment.
- ‘Confidence-building measures’ would be enacted: Iranian Foreign Minister.
- The president of the United States sets a deadline of 10 to 15 days for the nuclear deal with Iran.
PARIS: US President Donald Trump said he was considering a limited strike against Iran after ordering a major naval buildup in the Middle East aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran to reach a deal to curb its nuclear program.
The latest threat came after Iran’s Foreign Minister said a draft proposal for a deal with Washington would be ready within days following negotiations between the two sides in Geneva earlier this week.
Trump had suggested on Thursday that “bad things” would happen if Tehran did not reach an agreement within 10 days, which he later extended to 15.
Asked by a reporter Friday if he was contemplating a limited military strike, Trump responded: “The most I can say is that I’m considering it.”
After talks in Geneva, Tehran said the two sides had agreed to present drafts of a possible deal, which Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told US media would be the “next step.”
“I think in the next two, three days, that would be ready, and after final confirmation by my superiors, it would be handed over to Steve Witkoff,” he said, referring to Trump’s top Middle East negotiator.
Araghchi also said that American negotiators had not requested that Tehran end its nuclear enrichment program, contradicting statements by American officials.
“We have not offered any suspension and the American side has not asked for zero enrichment,” he said in an interview published on Friday by the US television network MS NOW.
“What we are talking about now is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and remains peaceful forever,” he added.
His comments contrast with information conveyed by senior US officials, including Trump, who has repeatedly said that Iran should not be allowed to enrich uranium at any level.
Western countries accuse the Islamic republic of trying to acquire nuclear weapons, which Tehran denies, although it insists on its right to enrichment for civilian purposes.
Iran, for its part, seeks to negotiate an end to sanctions that have proven to be a huge drag on its economy.
Economic hardship sparked protests in December that evolved into a nationwide anti-government movement last month, prompting a crackdown by authorities that left thousands dead, human rights groups say.
“No ultimatum”
The two foes held an initial round of talks on February 6 in Oman, the first since previous talks collapsed during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel last June, which the United States joined by attacking Iranian nuclear facilities.
Washington has sought a major military buildup in the region alongside the talks, and both sides have exchanged threats of military action for weeks.
On Thursday, Trump again suggested that the United States would attack Iran if it did not reach a deal within the deadline he had set.
“We have to reach a meaningful agreement, otherwise bad things will happen,” Trump said at the inaugural meeting of the “Peace Board,” his initiative for the postwar Gaza Strip.
Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, warned that US bases, facilities and assets would be “legitimate targets” if the US followed through on its threats.
Araghchi, however, insisted that “there is no ultimatum.”
“We just talked among ourselves about how we can reach a quick agreement. And a quick agreement is something that is in the interest of both parties,” he said.
“We are under sanctions, (so) obviously any day the sanctions end sooner would be better for us,” he said, adding that Iran had “no reason to delay.”
