The Trump administration is weighing a plan that could grant Iran access to up to $30 billion in funding to develop a civilian nuclear energy program, ease sanctions, and release billions in frozen Iranian assets, according to sources cited by CNN.
The initiative, still in its early stages, is aimed at reviving stalled negotiations with Tehran amid heightened military tensions in the Middle East, particularly between Iran and Israel.
Behind closed doors, senior U.S. and Middle Eastern officials have been holding indirect talks with Iranian representatives. These efforts have persisted even after recent military exchanges between the two regional adversaries and continue following a fragile ceasefire agreement.
Administration officials stress that several proposals are under review, all with one non-negotiable condition: Iran must halt uranium enrichment—a longstanding sticking point Tehran has repeatedly rejected. However, at least one draft under discussion offers a mix of incentives to entice Iran back to the negotiating table.
According to sources, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff held a secret meeting last Friday with Gulf partners just ahead of U.S. military strikes on Iranian targets. During the talks, proposals were floated including a $20–30 billion investment in a new civilian nuclear program for Iran that explicitly excludes uranium enrichment.
The plan envisions the program being funded not by the U.S. directly, but by Washington’s Arab allies in the region. One key element includes Gulf states potentially financing a replacement facility for Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, which was recently hit in U.S. strikes.
Additional incentives under discussion include lifting certain sanctions and unfreezing $6 billion of Iranian funds held in overseas bank accounts.
Witkoff has said the U.S. is committed to securing a “comprehensive peace agreement,” while maintaining that Iran should only be allowed a non-military nuclear program. The proposal encourages Iran to import enriched uranium from abroad, mirroring the model used by the United Arab Emirates.
President Trump has publicly played down the urgency of reaching a nuclear deal, saying he is indifferent to whether one is finalized. Still, many of his advisors argue that a durable agreement is essential to sustaining the current ceasefire and avoiding further conflict.
Ongoing discussions are reportedly being facilitated by regional intermediaries—most notably Qatar, which played a pivotal role in brokering the recent truce between Iran and Israel.
