In a bold diplomatic manoeuvre aimed at breaking the longstanding deadlock with the United States over its nuclear programme, Iran has floated the idea of a regional consortium involving Middle Eastern powers such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The proposal, described by Tehran as a major concession, would involve joint uranium enrichment under a multilateral framework. Iranian officials say this approach is designed to address American concerns while simultaneously embedding Iran’s regional rivals in the oversight of its nuclear activities.
According to four senior Iranian officials familiar with the matter and quoted by the New York Times, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented the proposal during the recent nuclear talks — both direct and indirect — with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Oman on May 11. The discussions were reportedly constructive, and both sides signalled a willingness to continue negotiations at the expert level. The Iranian officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions, said the idea was part of a broader attempt to reach a durable and transparent agreement with Washington.
However, the US has publicly denied that such a proposal was raised during the Oman talks. A spokesman for Witkoff, Eddie Vasquez, dismissed the claim, calling it "completely untrue". Nonetheless, Iranian media outlets, including the Revolutionary Guards-affiliated Farhikhtegan, prominently reported the initiative, framing it as Iran’s latest diplomatic "plan on the negotiating table." Some questioned whether such a move represented strategic foresight or political betrayal.
The proposal entails the creation of a three-nation consortium in which Iran would enrich uranium to a low grade—well below the threshold required for weapons—and then export it to other countries for civilian use. The Gulf states would be shareholders in the project, with financial stakes and access to Iranian nuclear technology. It would limit Iran’s enrichment capacity and stockpiles and allow on-site presence from regional and possibly even American representatives, providing more transparency.
This proposal echoes key aspects of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018. But unlike the JCPOA, which had a 15-year sunset clause, the new proposal is said to be permanent, giving Trump the opportunity to argue he secured a more robust and enduring agreement than his predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump, speaking in Riyadh on May 13, confirmed his interest in pursuing diplomacy with Tehran, stating: “If I can make a deal with Iran, I’ll be very happy, if we’re going to make your region and the world a safer place.”
Iranian officials say the consortium would serve multiple purposes: reducing the risk of regional nuclear proliferation, offering oversight mechanisms that go beyond international inspectors and tying the programme’s fate to the political and economic interests of Iran’s Arab neighbours.
The notion was first publicly articulated in an October 2023 article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists by former Iranian nuclear negotiator Seyed Hossein Mousavian and Princeton physicist Frank von Hippel. In a recent interview, Mousavian stressed that such a deal could remove both the immediate and long-term threats perceived by the US, while fostering regional cooperation.
Still, the feasibility of such an arrangement remains uncertain. While both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have expressed interest in nuclear technology for civilian purposes and a desire to avoid regional conflict, they remain deeply sceptical of Iran’s motives. The UAE has already begun operating the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant under a deal with the US that prohibits uranium enrichment. Whether either country is prepared to enter a venture involving shared enrichment with Iran remains to be seen.
Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr Albusaidi, lauded the talks as containing “useful and original ideas,” reflecting a shared desire to reach an “honourable agreement.” With technical negotiations now expected to follow, the coming weeks may reveal whether the consortium proposal can gain traction — or if it will be dismissed as diplomatic posturing.