The United States wants Tehran to commit to direct talks with the United States, ending uranium enrichment, curbing its missile program and ending funding for its armed affiliated in the Middle East, the newspaper cited the official as saying.
European-triggered international sanctions were reimposed on Tehran over the weekend as a standoff over Iran's nuclear activities lingers despite Israeli and US attacks in June which US President Donald Trump says "obliterated" Iran's program.
According to the US official cited by the Post, the so-called snapback sanctions will “create the environment” for “a diplomatic solution."
Tehran denies seeking a bomb and has called the new sanctions an illegal attempt to violate its sovereignty and end enrichment activities permitted by international law.
On Wednesday, Iran's security chief Ali Larijani said US attempts to dictate its military capabilities, foreign policy and nuclear rights were unacceptable and anticipated the outcome of any talks before they had even began.
The Trump administration and Tehran held two months of talks earlier this year to reach an agreement on Iran's disputed nuclear program.
But the day after Trump's 60-day deadline passed, Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran on June 13, striking military and nuclear facilities as well as senior commanders and officials.
Hundreds of military personnel and civilians were killed. Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles and drones which killed 31 Israeli civilians and an off-duty soldier.
On June 22, the US joined the campaign, hitting three major nuclear sites in Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz, which President Trump said destroyed Iran’s capacity to build a nuclear bomb.
A ceasefire was brokered by the United States on June 24, ending the 12-day war.
Arab caution
Tensions remain high in the region, especially after a failed Israeli attempt to assassinate senior Hamas officials based in Qatar last month.
A senior Arab government official close to the Trump administration cited by the Post cautioned against a continuing cycle of violence.
“The region today cannot go through the same Iranian-Israeli war or the other wars of the last two years. The cost is too high,” the daily quoted the official as saying, adding “de-escalation” and "diplomacy has to be the way forward".
Since the ceasefire, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany in August have pushed Iran to enter direct negotiations with the US and fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran, however, had suspended cooperation in response to the attacks.
The three European powers warned that if Iran refused, they would trigger the return of UN sanctions under a UN resolution codifying a now mostly lapsed 2015 nuclear deal. Those sanctions are now in force.
The new sanctions further strained Iran’s already fragile economy. Oil exports, the country’s main source of revenue, have faced renewed restrictions, threatening foreign currency earnings.
The Iranian rial has continued to lose value against the dollar, pushing inflation higher and worsening the cost of living crisis. International banking channels remain largely closed to Iran, hampering trade and investment.
