War in the Middle East: US-Iran talks make headway • FRANCE 24 English

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]'s government says it's reviewing the latest proposal from Washington for a potential deal to end the nearly three-month war that has sent global fuel prices soaring. Iran's foreign minister met with the visiting Pakistani interior minister to discuss that proposal. Marco Rubio says there has been some slight progress in talks with Iran, but that he didn't want to exaggerate how much. Meanwhile, the UAE's presidential adviser says there is a 5050 chance of a deal of a peace agreement. For more on this, we can cross now to London and bring in Dr. Anahita Modzed Rod, visiting senior fellow in the department of international relations at the London School of Economics. Thank you so much for joining us today. So, let's begin with this proposal that Iran is mulling over. What more do we know about what's in it?

[00:00:57]>> Yes, thank you for having me. I think this is a critical situation at the moment after 3 months nearly war and a very harsh situation.

[00:01:07]uh Iran is mentioning just uh considering the US uh proposal and they are revising it but at the same time they are posturing publicly um they are ready for any kind of resuming war or conflict with the US uh and even the broader um at the regional level. But I think that uh we should notice that at the moment there are three overlapping negotiation track uh at the same time uh at first and the core issue which is the nuclear file of Iran and while at the same time the both uh sides are stressing on their maximalist uh position uh but the US president and President Trump is insisting on Iranian uh releasing and uh nuclear program to zero enrichment and also a longer term or even 20 year uh of halting enriching uranium as well as 400 halting um handing over its 400 kilogram uh of of enriched uranium and also dismantling its major uh sites um and red even reducing it to just having one uh site which is in Thran and for medical purposes. While at the same time Iran rejects this u strongly uh and Iran still preserve its right for enrichment uh of the uranium as well as keeping and sustaining its uh right for having its civilian nuclear program. Uh so I I I think at the second core of this discussion and proposal is the lifting sanctions which Iran is insisting for that. U Iran is under very harsh economic position. So Iran is really uh trying to find a way u to just releasing just bringing down that kind of um it's pursuing the nuclear issue in exchange for lifting the economic and the maritime sanctions and also unfreezing assets on the side of Iran. And on the third level, I think we have to consider the security at the regional level and the security especially of the choke point of the strait of Hormos which at the moment is uh playing a very uh crucial and vital uh leverage for Iran in the negotiations but at the same time uh also creating problem for the other regional and the uh other global powers at the same time.

[00:04:07]>> Now, um, Anahita, when you mentioned the nuclear file there and and that the US has been pretty adamant that Iran gives up its enriched uranium reserves, and that is again something, as you just mentioned, Tran has so far said no to.

[00:04:23]Do you believe there would ever be a situation in which Washington could get Tran to a yes on this? maybe that lifting of sanctions some some future number uh that they would agree to >> uh it's it's very hard to be honest because I think first we we have to um see that first u there is a deep mistrust between the two sides and Iran doesn't trust the US so at the same time I think the position at the this at this time in Iran is not giving up any of that 400 kilogram of enriched uranium. So I I see it very hard and it depends on the especially the next round of the negotiation that pre uh pres uh it it's apparently is going to happen the next week. But uh and one more point is that the two sides uh they are at the very incompatible end goals. So really re uh handing over u those kind of you know 400 kilograms of enriched uranium I think would be very difficult that Iran accepted at this time at least. And um Anita, you also mentioned the straight of Hormuz. Now, we know that Tran has said they've allowed some ships to go through it, but uh there's also reports that Tran is trying to get Oman to join them in a tolling system, of which that's being discussed at the NATO meeting today, and the alliance has said that's a non-starter. So, what's the situation there with the strait?

[00:06:13]>> Uh I think still Iran is persisting. uh of that toll system uh collaborating with the Omani's uh partner but at the same time the Marco Rubio just a few hours ago they he rejected uh and and mentioned that it is unacceptable by Iranian side if they want uh to still persist on this tolling system in the straight of Hormuz and uh if Iran is still insisting on this according to the Marco Rubio and even the US administration uh they believe that this makes uh any kind of upcoming negotiation unfeasible.

[00:06:56]>> And um we also know that any any ceasefire deal or any deal to end this peace deal uh Tran wants Lebanon included in it, but Israel is carrying out strikes on what it says are Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

[00:07:12]So what does this where does this leave Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who I think is unhappy with these negotiations?

[00:07:23]>> Yes. If if any kind of ceasefire or even uh agreement or deal has been reached uh in the will be reached in the next week.

[00:07:35]Uh it would be first it would be the short deal. uh we cannot expect it would be a long-term and durable uh deal but at the same time I think Israel wouldn't uh accept that uh because still they think that and Benjamin Netanyahu are is thinking that the threat of Iran is remaining there especially for Israel so that's the reason even Israel at this time is trying to in any way uh just not stopping the attacking to his bullah And at the same time, Iran is expecting and insisting on including also Lebanon and stopping the war at the all front uh including the Lebanon front uh to put an end uh by the US uh which I think that Israelis would be very hard uh to accept uh this especially at this time. Now, um, Anita, we've seen some remarks coming out of the UAE regarding, uh, the negotiations and and Iran's position.

[00:08:44]How has the US Israel war on Iran changed relations between the Gulf countries and how do they now view Washington and Tran?

[00:08:55]Yes, I think one of the major consequences of this war uh was shifting the uh image of Iran uh by the um uh by the Arab states in the Persian Gulf uh mainly u UAE and also Saudi Arabia. So I I think at this time even reaching any deal. However, I think the mediator including the Qatar and the Pakistanis at the moment who are active to narrowing the differences between Iran and the US. But at the same time, they have that fear uh that what's comes next after um after any ceasefire uh for a longer term or even reaching a deal. And I think it's not about the Israel itself uh but Saudi Arabia as well as the UAE. Um however they are pursuing the diplomatic track at the same time but uh they have the the fear because the day after the war uh they still feel that uh they are not anymore safe uh because of Iran's retaliatory action during this recent conflict.

[00:10:08]>> Anita, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today sharing your expertise. That's Dr. Dr. Anahita Modzed Rod, visiting senior fellow in the department of international relations at the London School of Economics.