Iran says it is open to 'fair, balanced' US nuclear proposal

Iran welcomes a potential "fair and balanced" US nuclear proposal, but Tehran has not received any proposal for negotiations, the country's top diplomat said on Saturday.

"If we receive a reasonable, balanced, and fair proposal from the Americans for negotiations, we will certainly consider it," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told state television.

However, Araqchi said Tehran will not give up its "right to enrich uranium" but can take confidence-building measures regarding "the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme."

"Of course, this is conditional on the other side also taking steps to build trust — by lifting part of the sanctions," Araqchi said, adding that Tehran and Washington had been exchanging messages through mediators.

The United States, its European allies, and Israel accuse Tehran of using its nuclear programme to conceal efforts to try to develop the capability to produce weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.

Prior to a 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, which Washington joined by striking key nuclear sites, Tehran and Washington held five rounds of nuclear talks but faced major stumbling blocks such as uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, which Western powers want to bring down to zero to minimise any risk of weaponisation.