Tehran, Iran — Iran has proposed establishing a consortium involving several Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to engage in uranium enrichment. This initiative aims to address U.S. concerns regarding Iran’s ongoing nuclear program and is viewed as a strategy to effectively garner support from Gulf states for Tehran’s position on retaining its enrichment capabilities.
The proposed arrangement would allow neighboring countries to access Iranian technological expertise, thus making them active participants in the enrichment process. This development is perceived by Iranian officials as a significant concession aimed at fostering regional collaboration. While it remains uncertain whether Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi introduced the consortium concept during recent talks with U.S. officials in Oman, discussions surrounding the proposal are reportedly circulating within Iranian political circles.
Following his discussions in Oman, Araghchi traveled to Dubai, where he engaged with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Currently, the UAE does not enrich uranium for its own nuclear initiatives. The envisioned consortium would operate from Iranian facilities, adhering to the 3.67% enrichment limit defined in the 2015 nuclear agreement, which was unilaterally abandoned by the United States in 2018.
The U.S. has maintained its demand for Iran to halt all enrichment activities and dismantle its nuclear infrastructure. Nonetheless, amid political divisions in Washington and ongoing negotiations, Trump has not reached a final decision and has acknowledged Iran’s seriousness in pursuing dialogue. The idea of a consortium was initially suggested by former Iranian nuclear negotiator Seyed Hossein Mousavian and Princeton physicist Frank von Hippel well before the current talks, gaining traction in a recent article published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Under this arrangement, the Saudis and Emiratis would serve as financial backers and stakeholders, gaining insight into Iranian technology. Such involvement could provide additional assurances to the international community that Iran’s nuclear activities are strictly for peaceful purposes, countering allegations from Israel regarding potential weapons development. Sending engineers from the Gulf states to Iran would offer a new layer of oversight and reduce reliance solely on reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Iran has progressively deviated from the enrichment levels and stockpile restrictions outlined in the 2015 agreement, attributing this shift to the U.S. withdrawal. Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, stated, “For a limited time, we can accept certain restrictions on the level and volume of enrichment,” reflecting a willingness to negotiate under specific conditions.
The U.S. indicated a desire to reach an agreement with Iran within a couple of months after talks commenced. However, as negotiations delve deeper into intricate technical details, it is possible discussions may extend into the summer. Iran currently enriches uranium to 60% purity, significantly exceeding the 3.67% cap set in the 2015 deal and approaching the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade material.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has voiced concerns over these elevated enrichment levels, deeming them excessive for civilian applications. In possibly alluding to Iran’s consortium proposal, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi referenced “useful and original ideas reflecting a shared wish to reach an honorable agreement.”
Meanwhile, the UAE operates the Barakah nuclear power plant, the first of its kind in the Arab world to reach full operational status. With all four reactors now online, Barakah is positioned to fulfill 25% of the UAE’s electricity demand, highlighting the region’s push towards enhancing nuclear capabilities in the energy sector.