Iran Deal Close, Could Come in Sunday Meeting

May 10—Sources close to the White House indicate that a breakthrough may be imminent in discussions with Iran regarding a proposed agreement that would allow the country to maintain a peaceful nuclear program while permanently denying it access to fissionable materials for nuclear weapons.

Leading the negotiations in Oman will be President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. According to sources, Witkoff has devised a plan that would enable Iran to develop a "vibrant" peaceful nuclear energy program while prohibiting facilities and centrifuges capable of producing bomb-grade materials.

A key component of the plan involves U.S. and Russian participation in supplying Iran with nuclear fuel for energy production, medical isotopes, and research purposes, as well as managing nuclear waste. Both nations would also share designs for advanced reactors, including small modular reactors (SMRs), which could provide power for various applications, such as desalination of seawater for fresh water supplies.

The program, according to sources, would open new avenues for Iran’s development.

Additionally, a strict inspection regimen will be discussed to ensure full confidence that Iran does not secretly engage in uranium enrichment for weapons production.

Sanctions Relief and Regional Stability

In exchange for compliance, Iran would receive both immediate and phased sanctions relief, allowing it to sell oil and other products in Western markets. The agreement could also pave the way for Iran’s participation in President Trump’s vision for large-scale economic development projects in the region, while normalizing relations with the U.S. and other nations.

"This is a way for Iran to walk back from the cold," a source stated, noting that Iranian leaders have expressed a strong desire to end their isolation.

Regional sources suggest that Iran could play a major role in fostering peace by dismantling or transitioning terrorist proxy groups—such as Hamas and Hezbollah—into purely political organizations.

Witkoff’s Confirmation and U.S. Red Lines

Witkoff confirmed the outlines of the proposed U.S. deal in an interview with Breitbart, published yesterday. He emphasized that the U.S. will not accept a bad deal and revealed that negotiations had been twice postponed when progress seemed unlikely.

"That's correct," Witkoff told Breitbart. "And look, we didn’t think that the talks last week were going to be productive because we needed to get to certain understandings with them, and hopefully, this Sunday they will be productive. Hopefully, that means they will continue those talks. If they are not productive on Sunday, then they won’t continue, and we’ll have to take a different route."

Witkoff reiterated that the U.S. will not allow Iran to maintain a uranium enrichment program, a key criticism of the 2015 nuclear deal reached under President Obama, which Trump withdrew from in 2018.

The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported in February that Iran possesses 605.8 pounds of uranium enriched to 60% fissile purity, up from 203.9 pounds in November—dangerously close to the 90% enrichment needed for weapons-grade use.

"We’ve stated our position," Witkoff said. "The Iranians cannot have a bomb. They have stated back that they don't want one. So, we’re going to, for the purposes of this discussion, take them at their word that that’s actually how they feel. If that’s how they feel, then their enrichment facilities have to be dismantled. They cannot have centrifuges. They have to downblend all of their fuel that they have there and send it to a faraway place—and they have to convert to a civil program if they want to run a civil program."

Witkoff pointed to Bushehr, Iran’s existing civil nuclear reactor, which operates without enrichment capabilities. He suggested that Iran should convert all its facilities to match Bushehr’s model if it genuinely seeks peaceful nuclear energy.

"An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line. No enrichment. That means dismantlement, it means no weaponization, and it means that Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan—those are their three enrichment facilities—have to be dismantled."

The Path Forward

Witkoff warned that it would be "unwise" for Iran to test President Trump, asserting that Iran "has no choice" but to accept U.S. terms for denuclearization.

He clarified that the talks are focused exclusively on the nuclear issue, marking a shift from Trump’s first administration, which sought to address Iran’s support for terrorist proxies such as Hamas.

"Do we think they need to stop enabling Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and pulling back from being a provocateur?" Witkoff asked. "We do believe that. That’s a secondary discussion. Do we think that they should not be supplying weapons to people we consider to be our enemies? We believe that. But again, we don’t want to confuse the nuclear discussion because that to us is the existential issue. That’s the issue that needs to be solved today and quickly."

White House sources indicate that if the talks go well, a deal could be finalized before Trump departs for his regional tour next week. If so, expect a "major announcement" from the President as early as Monday.