Iran's Foreign Minister Says US Must Accept 7-Day Nuclear Plan
Tehran has put the ball in Washington's court, with Iran's top diplomat declaring a 7-day proposal now awaits a US decision.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has declared that the United States must now decide whether to accept a seven-day diplomatic framework put forward by Tehran, signaling that Iran considers its own position settled and that the next move belongs to Washington. The statement represents a notable moment of public pressure in what has been a cautious, back-channel diplomatic process between two governments that remain deeply at odds over nuclear ambitions and regional influence.
Araqchi's framing — that the ball is squarely in America's court — is a classic negotiating posture designed to shift both domestic and international attention toward the US response. By attaching a seven-day timeline, Tehran appears to be creating urgency, either to accelerate a deal or to establish a public record should talks collapse. The compressed window also limits Washington's ability to delay or quietly reframe the terms without visible consequence.
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The broader context here is significant. Talks between Iran and the United States have historically moved in fits and starts, with each side sensitive to domestic audiences skeptical of concessions. A fixed deadline, even one that is loosely enforced, changes the optics of any American hesitation and could be used by Tehran to argue it was negotiating in good faith if diplomacy falters. Conversely, a positive US response within the window could provide momentum for a more formal agreement.
What remains unclear from Araqchi's statement is the specific substance of the seven-day plan — what Iran is offering and what it is asking in return. That ambiguity is itself telling, suggesting either that details are still being finalized in private channels or that Tehran is deliberately keeping terms vague to preserve negotiating flexibility. Observers of Iran-US diplomacy will be watching closely for any White House response that either accepts the framework, rejects it outright, or attempts to reopen the terms.
Continue reading at Reuters.
