Iran’s rival factions close ranks in rejection of US nuclear proposal

A new US proposal for a nuclear agreement appears to have united all corners of Iran’s political scene in opposition, with reformist media calling it “pressure diplomacy” and hardliners denouncing it as a trap.

“Zero enrichment is the code name for the consortium,” the IRGC-linked daily Javan wrote on Monday, referring to a plan that would effectively eliminate Iran’s domestic refinement of uranium.

The details of Washington’s proposal have not been officially revealed, but Javan asserted in its editorial that the draft calls for Iran to halt enrichment entirely.

Another conservative outlet, Khorasan, front-paged the story with the headline Suspicious Proposal.

“Based on available evidence, it is highly unlikely that the proposal delivered by Oman’s foreign minister will address Iran’s key demands,” wrote the daily, which is aligned with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s office.

Khorasan questioned why US negotiator Steve Witkoff sent the proposal through a mediator rather than delivering it directly to his Iranian counterpart during the upcoming round of Tehran-Washington negotiations.

A consortium would pose a threat to the security of Iran’s nuclear program, the paper argued, asserting that another round of talks would only take place if Iran accepts the proposal.

As of Monday evening in Tehran, the only official response to the proposal came from Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who said during a visit to Cairo that the proposal is unfair.

The hardline publication Kayhan, whose editor-in-chief is appointed by Khamenei, also lambasted the idea.

“There is no sign of goodwill in the United States’ proposal. Its sole aim is to weaken and dismantle Iran’s peaceful nuclear program,” the daily wrote in a Monday editorial, stopping short of ruling out a compromise.

“Any retreat without guarantees will only invite further pressure,” it warned.

Major reformist outlet Etemad echoed the sentiment, differing only slightly in tone.

“Even if Iran accepts the proposal, there is no guarantee that the United States will uphold its commitments,” the daily quoted foreign policy scholar Mohsen Jalilvand.

Jalilvand pointed to a push by European powers to trigger the so-called snapback mechanism of UN sanctions suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal, asserting that the United States would welcome the added pressure on Tehran.

Meanwhile, Morteza Maki, an expert on European affairs, stated that developments in Europe, the United States, and the United Kingdom point to a coordinated effort to activate the trigger mechanism, which would reinstate all previous sanctions on Iran.

Despite mounting pressure—including threats from Israel—Maki said Tehran and Washington may still be able to strike an agreement.