Iran says US must ‘prove they want to do a deal’ on nuclear talks in Geneva

Iran claims it is open to compromise with the U.S. on a nuclear deal if the administration is willing to discuss lifting sanctions, a senior Iranian official said Sunday.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, also said in an interview that the ball was “in America’s court to prove that they want to do a deal,” adding: “If they are sincere, I’m sure we will be on the road to an agreement.”

“We are ready to discuss this and other issues related to our program if they are ready to talk about sanctions,” Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC.

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Takht-Ravanchi’s comments came as Iran’s top diplomat traveled to Geneva for a second round of indirect talks with the U.S. delegation.

Abbas Araghchi left for the Swiss city following an initial round of negotiations last week with Oman again mediating the next round of talks, according to Iranian state media and the Associated Press.

U.S. officials, however, have emphasized that Iran — not the U.S. — is holding up progress in negotiations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Feb. 14 that President Donald Trump would prefer to reach an agreement but warned it was “very hard to do” one with Iran.

Past diplomatic efforts had collapsed in 2025 after Israel launched what became a 12-day war with Iran and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

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But on Sunday, Takht-Ravanchi pointed to Tehran’s offer to dilute its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity as evidence of its willingness to compromise, the BBC reported.

Asked whether Iran would ship its stockpile of more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium abroad, as it did under the 2015 deal, Takht-Ravanchi said it was “too early to say what will happen in the course of negotiations.”

One of Iran’s main demands is that talks focus on the nuclear issue. “Our understanding is that they have come to the conclusion that if you want to have a deal you have to focus on the nuclear issue,” Takht-Ravanchi said.

Takht-Ravanchi also said the “issue of zero enrichment is not an issue anymore and as far as Iran is concerned, it is not on the table anymore.”

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Trump has since threatened further military action if a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program cannot be reached.

The U.S. has also reinforced its military presence in the region amid heightened tensions and after spiraling protests across the country in December left thousands reportedly dead at the hands of the clerical regime.