Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday criticized a preliminary proposal from the United States in ongoing negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
While dismissive of the current offer, he did not entirely rule out the possibility of reaching an agreement with Washington.
Khamenei described the U.S. proposal as “100% against the idea of ‘we can,’” referencing a popular Iranian government slogan. He emphasized that maintaining Iran’s ability to enrich uranium remains a non-negotiable point.
“If we had 100 nuclear power plants while not having enrichment, they are not usable for us,” Khamenei said. “If we do not have enrichment, then we should extend our hand (begging) to the U.S.”
Despite his comments, Iran’s position comes amid growing international pressure and a backdrop of instability across the Middle East. Some nuclear power nations acquire uranium through external suppliers, raising questions about Iran’s insistence on domestic enrichment.
Details of the American proposal have not been officially released. However, a report by Axios, confirmed by a U.S. official, suggested the plan may involve forming a nuclear consortium to enrich uranium for Iran and surrounding nations.
The report also indicated Iran might be allowed to enrich uranium up to 3% purity for a limited time, though it remains unclear if Tehran would be required to abandon its enrichment program altogether.
Reaching a deal has become a diplomatic priority for U.S. President Donald Trump and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. An agreement could see the easing of some economic sanctions on Iran in return for significant curbs—or a complete halt—on its uranium enrichment efforts.
Failure to secure a deal, however, could escalate tensions across a region already destabilized by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
A collapse in negotiations could send Iran’s already struggling economy into free fall, potentially fueling further domestic unrest. It may also raise the likelihood of Israeli or U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites and prompt Tehran to fully cut ties with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog—accelerating its path toward a nuclear weapon.
