Overview
- Trump told reporters at the White House that Tehran has asked about lifting U.S. penalties and that he is willing to hear a proposal.
- Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said cooperation with Washington is impossible while the United States backs Israel, keeps regional bases, and interferes in the Middle East.
- The United Nations reinstated restrictions in September under the snapback mechanism triggered by Britain, France, and Germany, barring dealings tied to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic activities.
- The U.S. and Iran held five rounds of nuclear talks earlier this year, with uranium enrichment on Iranian soil remaining a central stumbling block, as Oman presses both sides to resume negotiations.
- An Israeli bombing campaign in June and brief U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites preceded a 12-day Iran-Israel war that derailed talks, and the full extent of damage to Iran’s program remains unclear.