May 15--Negotiating teams from the U.S., led by President Donald Trump's Special Envoy to the Mideast, Steve Witkoff, and Iran, headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, convened for the fourth time in Muscat, Oman, on May 11. The goal: finalize a historic agreement ensuring Iran abandons nuclear weapon ambitions while establishing a robust civilian nuclear program.

The multi-hour meetings, mediated by Oman, were described by the Iranians as "difficult, but useful." Tehran confirmed that a new round of discussions would soon be coordinated and announced by Oman. A U.S. official told Axios that both sides had reached an understanding on moving forward, with technical details yet to be ironed out.

Trump’s Confidence in a Swift Agreement

A source close to the White House revealed that President Trump expects a deal to materialize quickly and has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. will not back any Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. According to the source, Trump even threatened Netanyahu if he attempted to derail the negotiations.

Addressing speculation in the NAO press propaganda machine right after the talks about dissatisfaction with their pace, the source dismissed media reports as misleading. "He and his team know what they are doing," the source said, invoking the familiar warning seen on car mirrors: “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.”

Progress Towards a Long-Term Agreement

On May 14, Trump clarified his views in his own words and characterized the ongoing discussions as "very serious negotiations" for "long-term peace" during remarks in Doha.

“We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran,” Trump asserted after a meeting with business leaders.

“I think we’re getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this.”

“You probably read today the story about Iran—it’s sort of agreed to the terms.”

The president did not specify which statements he was referring to, but Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signaled a breakthrough in a U.S. media interview. Shamkhani indicated Tehran’s willingness to accept stringent curbs on its nuclear program—including relinquishing its stockpiles of enriched uranium—in exchange for U.S. sanctions relief.

Key Terms Already Established

A source familiar with the negotiations outlined several points of consensus:

• Iran agrees to permanently abandon nuclear weapons development.
• Iran consents to a more rigorous inspection regime than under the 2015 agreement.
• Iran retains a civilian nuclear program, with U.S. and American companies playing a role.
• Sanctions relief is contingent on Iranian compliance with the new framework.
• Iran gains entry into major regional development initiatives spearheaded by Trump.
• The U.S. will provide security guarantees to Iran, conditional upon adherence to the agreement.

Despite considerable progress, the primary sticking point remains Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities. Initially, Trump and his envoy Witkoff supported enrichment for medical isotope research and production. However, some expressed concerns that such programs might become targets for Israeli strikes and would serve more as symbolic gestures than practical solutions.

A New Proposal for Enrichment Oversight

Trump reportedly acknowledges the enrichment program’s role as a matter of national pride and may offer concessions to expedite the deal. Meanwhile, sources are exploring an alternative approach: establishing an Iranian research facility supervised by the U.S., Russia, and China—nations considered "strategic partners" to Tehran.

The statement from Shamkhani signals a potential breakthrough, according to a source close to the negotiations. “If we use our brains, we can find a compromise on enrichment—the last big hurdle. So the president is right: a deal may be closer than people think.”

“If Trump can rein in Netanyahu,” the source continued, “he’ll finalize this agreement, and Israel will have to accept it. This should unfold sooner than many expect.”