Trump sets six pillars for potential Iran deal

2026-03-21 - 20:31

Shafaq News- Washington The US administration has begun exploring ways to move toward a possible peace process with Iran, Axios reported on Saturday, noting that early discussions focus on potential negotiators, mediators, and confidence-building measures. According to two US officials cited by the outlet, US President Donald Trump views any prospective deal as needing to tackle the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, as well as long-term arrangements on Tehran’s nuclear program, ballistic missiles, and regional influence. Direct contact between Washington and Tehran has not occurred recently, Axios noted, while Egypt, Qatar, and the United Kingdom have already relayed messages to Iran. Both Egypt and Qatar indicated Tehran is open to negotiations, but under conditions seen as “extremely challenging,” including a ceasefire, guarantees against renewed hostilities, and compensation. US officials outlined six key requirements for Tehran: suspend its missile program for five years, halt uranium enrichment, close reactors at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, accept strict external monitoring of nuclear technology, cap regional missiles at 1,000, and end support for Hezbollah, the Houthis (Ansarallah), and Hamas. Iran has previously rejected many of these demands, pointing to the difficulty of negotiating with a US President who has previously targeted Iranian assets after talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that stabilizing the Strait of Hormuz also requires the US and Israel to stop attacks and commit to avoiding future strikes. “Washington is also evaluating who in Iran holds genuine negotiating authority and which countries could act as credible mediators,’’ Axios noted, pointing out that while Oman facilitated earlier nuclear talks, the US is turning to Qatar, “which has earned a reputation for effective mediation in Gaza, though it prefers to operate behind the scenes."