Riyadh warned Tehran to clinch deal to avoid Israeli strike - Reuters

Prince Khalid bin Salman delivered the message from King Salman during a closed-door meeting in Tehran on April 17, according to two sources close to regional governments and two Iranian officials. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, armed forces chief Mohammad Bagheri, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were present at the talks, the sources said.

The prince, who previously served as Saudi ambassador to Washington, conveyed that Trump’s team had limited patience for prolonged negotiations and that a failure to reach an agreement could raise the risk of an Israeli strike, according to the sources.

The same sources said Prince Khalid indicated it would be preferable to reach a deal with the United States rather than face the consequences of escalating tensions.

Iran says it's open to deal but not at any cost

Iranian officials responded that Tehran was interested in a deal to ease economic pressure, but raised concerns about the Trump administration’s “unpredictable” negotiating style.

One Iranian source said Pezeshkian conveyed that while Tehran was eager to reach a deal, it was not prepared to give up its enrichment program solely to satisfy US demands.

The message from Riyadh came as talks between Washington and Tehran, mediated by Oman, enter a critical phase. No date has been announced for a sixth round, though Trump said this week that “we are very close to a solution,” adding that Iran appears willing to engage seriously. “If we can make a deal, I’d save a lot of lives,” he said.

Enrichment, inspections, and Iranian goals under scrutiny

According to CNN, negotiators are exploring a framework that may include a multinational consortium to produce nuclear fuel for Iran’s civilian program and possible US investment. Iran has denied a separate report that it was considering a temporary pause in enrichment in return for sanctions relief and recognition of its right to civilian enrichment.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Wednesday, “The continuation of enrichment in Iran is a non-negotiable principle.”

Iran says its program is peaceful, while US and Israeli officials continue to express concern that Tehran is approaching nuclear weapons capability. A recent report by Austria’s intelligence agency described Iran’s weapons program as “far advanced,” in contrast with the US public assessment that Iran has not yet decided to build a bomb.

Tehran has also indicated it may consider allowing US nuclear inspectors under a future deal, a shift from its current restrictions, while IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said any agreement would require “very robust inspection.”

The softened tone of Tehran’s statements on nuclear negotiations with the United States, along with unprecedented remarks from media commentators, suggests Iran may be open to a "suspension for suspension" agreement with Washington.

Except for state television, the hardline daily Kayhan, and a few low-profile newspapers, most Iranian media outlets this week have discussed “positive signals from Washington” or even “an imminent final deal.”

Outlets frequently cite what is seen in Tehran as optimism in US coverage.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he advised Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch a strike on Iran, saying a deal with Tehran was “very close.”

Tehran-based Rouydad24 noted that even traditionally skeptical figures—such as International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief Rafael Grossi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov—have acknowledged the possibility of a US-Iran agreement within weeks.

Early signs of a shift

The clearest signal yet of Iran’s openness came on Wednesday, when prominent lawmaker and National Security Committee member Abolfazl Zohrehvand told the conservative Nameh News that Tehran could suspend uranium enrichment in exchange for partial sanctions relief.

“Omani officials are telling us: Let’s try this,” Zohrevand said, recalling Iran’s acceptance of a similar deal under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the early 2000s.

President Masoud Pezeshkian also praised Oman’s mediation role during his visit to Muscat on Tuesday, calling the country the only active intermediary that Iran trusts—another nod to potential flexibility.

This comes along with hints that Tehran “may reconsider its longstanding ban on US nuclear inspectors,” as part of an agreement with Washington, according to Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami.

Interim deal to avoid war

The pro-reform daily Arman Melli highlighted the apparent shift in tone, suggesting that a “halt for halt” arrangement might be in the works—one often called an “interim agreement” by officials, perhaps to make it more palatable for hardliners.

But nothing is done until it is done, the paper warned.

“Making a deal is as likely as is a sudden change that might stop all negotiations without much explanation,” it wrote, asserting that technical-level discussions are ongoing alongside secret bilateral talks.

Prominent reformist figure Mohammad Sadeq Javadi Hesar told Etemad newspaper that the government’s flexibility aligns with Iran’s national interests.

Likewise, reformist commentator Hamid Reza Jalaipour told Khabar Online that Iran cannot strengthen ties with Russia and China without first mending its fraught relationship with the US.

He predicted that a deal could marginalize the hardline minority who push anti-American rhetoric, call for Israel’s destruction, and stricter control at home..

Tehran, he noted, appears to have shifted its motto from “no negotiations, no war” to “negotiations to avoid war.”

Iran has requested a formal explanation from Austria following a report by its domestic intelligence service that described Tehran’s nuclear program as advanced and potentially geared toward weapons development.

The report, published earlier this week by Austria’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and cited by Fox News, said Iran is expanding its missile capabilities and seeking to rearm as part of a broader regional strategy. It described Iran’s nuclear weapons development as “well advanced.”

In response, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the report lacks foundation and serves to generate media pressure. He said Iran remains under the most stringent inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and continues to adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Baghaei added that actions such as these risk undermining the credibility of the IAEA and divert attention from other regional issues.

The United States said Thursday that negotiations with Iran are making progress and remain anchored in President Donald Trump’s red lines: that Tehran must never develop a nuclear weapon and must halt uranium enrichment.

At a State Department briefing, spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to respond directly to remarks by Iran’s foreign minister, who said earlier on X that media reports were speculating about an imminent Iran-US deal.

“People are speculating because maybe somebody goes on the radio and starts to speculate and starts to talk and starts to gossip. We don’t do that,” Bruce said. “Discussing the details of something as sensitive as peace negotiations or a ceasefire does not help.”

Bruce emphasized that talks have been productive and consistent with Trump’s conditions. “Iran is at the table, and progress has been made based on the lines of President Trump—what his lines are: that there will never be a nuclear weapon, that there will not be enrichment,” she said.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Thursday that President Donald Trump sent her to Israel to underscore his “resolve that Iran must never obtain or develop nuclear weapons.”

In a post on X, Noem said she met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a “candid conversation” about Trump’s “commitment to peace in the region and his resolve that Iran must never obtain or develop nuclear weapons.”

Earlier this week, Noem told Fox News that Trump had specifically sent her to Israel to discuss Iran and to “stay united and let this process play out,” referencing ongoing regional security concerns.