Scoop: U.S. discussing freeze-for-freeze approach to Iran nuclear program – By Barak Ravid (Axios) / Apr 3 2023
The Biden administration discussed with its European and Israeli partners in recent weeks a proposal for an interim agreement with Iran that would include some sanctions relief in exchange for Tehran freezing parts of its nuclear program, according to 10 Israeli officials, Western diplomats and U.S. experts with knowledge of the proposal.
Why it matters: The new approach by the Biden administration shows just how concerned the U.S. is about recent advances in Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S. has not ruled out diplomacy on reaching an agreement to return to the 2015 nuclear agreement but did take it off the agenda last year over Iran’s military assistance to Russia and Tehran’s crackdown on anti-government protests.
- Iran has amassed 87.5 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency report from late February. Experts say that if that uranium is enriched to 90% weapons grade, it would be a sufficient quantity to produce at least one nuclear bomb.
- Israeli officials recently told the Biden administration and several European countries that Iran would be entering dangerous territory that could trigger an Israeli military strike if it enriches uranium above the 60% level, as Axios previously reported.
CONTINUE > https://www.axios.com/2023/04/03/iran-biden-proposal-freeze-nuclear-activity-deal
