A top Iran adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that Tehran would be open to reaching a nuclear deal with President Donald Trump—if the U.S. lifts certain economic sanctions.
In an interview with NBC News, Ali Shamkhani, a senior political and military figure in Iran and close confidant to the Supreme Leader, said that Iran would be willing to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions and surrender its highly-enriched uranium—if its conditions are met.
“It’s still possible. If the Americans act as they say, for sure we can have better relations,” Shamkhani said, signaling a conditional willingness to negotiate with a Trump administration.
Shamkhani further stated that Iran would allow international inspectors to supervise its nuclear activity and would limit enrichment to lower levels meant for civilian energy use—a familiar pledge made in past deals, many of which Iran has been accused of violating.
Meanwhile, President Trump laid out his own terms during remarks to leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Saudi Arabia. He emphasized that the Iranian regime must cease its support for terrorism, end its proxy wars across the Middle East, and permanently abandon any pursuit of nuclear weapons.
“I want to make a deal with Iran. I want to do something if possible,” Trump said. “But for that to happen, they must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons. They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump made clear that while diplomacy remains an option, the U.S. would not tolerate threats to regional or global stability.
“We’re going to make your region and the world a safer place,” Trump added. “But if Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive, maximum pressure.”
Despite these efforts, Shamkhani expressed frustration with Washington’s tone, calling Trump’s approach aggressive rather than conciliatory.
“He talks about the olive branch, which we have not seen. It’s all barbed wire,” Shamkhani said.
He also claimed that a deal could be derailed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long warned against trusting the Iranian regime. Shamkhani suggested that Netanyahu’s lobbying efforts in Washington could scuttle any potential agreement.
The developments highlight ongoing tensions between the West and Iran, with nuclear diplomacy again in the spotlight as geopolitical fault lines deepen in the Middle East.