US Sending Positive Signals On Nuclear Deal: Iran’s State Media

Iran's Nour News close to the national security council says the White House is showing "positive signals of changing its approach toward Iran in the past few months".

Regarding reports about a possible nuclear agreement between Iran and the United States, the website did not express optimism, but claimed Washington is giving positive signals.

"As the American media has speculated, one cannot be optimistic about a rapid agreement on issues related to Iran's nuclear matter," added the piece published on Friday.

“However, raising this issue by two American media outlets, which are known for their connection with the US political and security agencies, shows the White House is seeking to convey positive signals and return to the negotiating table, which Iran has never left.”

Nour News also claimed the new US approach is the result of the Islamic Republic's efforts to suppress the nationwide protests, as well as Tehran's decision to revive ties with Riyadh.

Meanwhile, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid slammed Netanyahu for allowing the agreement between Iran and the US to take place, claiming Netanyahu’s inability to influence the Biden Administration is due to the controversial judicial overhaul.

“Despite attempts to call it something else, what the US and Iran are about to sign is a nuclear agreement. It’s the same agreement that they tried to sign during [the Bennett-Lapid] government and we were able to prevent,” the former prime minister noted.

This comes as Israel's ambassador to Washington, Michael Herzog said in a speech on Thursday that “diplomacy [with Iran] isn’t necessarily a bad thing”.

In recent days, Axios and the New York Times reported on the talks between Iran and the United States.

The New York Times quoted the officials of the three countries as saying that “the Biden administration has been negotiating quietly with Iran to limit Tehran’s nuclear program and free imprisoned Americans.”

“The US goal is to reach an informal, unwritten agreement, which some Iranian officials are calling a political cease-fire. It would aim to prevent a further escalation in a long-hostile relationship that has grown even more fraught as Iran builds up a stockpile of highly enriched uranium close to bomb-grade purity, supplies Russia with drones for use in Ukraine and brutally cracks down on domestic political protests.”

Axios last week reported that US and Iranian officials held indirect talks in Oman last month with Omani officials shuttling between the two sides and passing messages.

The report also quoted five Israeli lawmakers saying that the mini-agreement includes Iranian commitment not to enrich uranium above the level of 60%, a US willingness to allow for the release of billions of dollars in Iranian funds that are currently frozen, and a prisoner exchange deal.