Iran seeks to offer Donald Trump financial incentives, including investments in its extensive oil and gas reserves, as part of efforts to persuade the US president to agree on a deal regarding its nuclear programme and to avert war, according to a report by the Financial Times.
A person familiar with the situation described the potential as a “commercial bonanza,” noting that Tehran aims to attract Trump’s interest with deals that could offer a financial dividend for the US.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to conduct another round of indirect negotiations with US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Geneva on Thursday.
A senior US official stated that no commercial offer has yet been made to the US. “This was never discussed. President Trump has been clear that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon or the capacity to build one,” the official said.
The individual familiar with the matter told the news portal that the investment opportunities were “specifically aimed at Trump, including a significant economic boom in oil, gas, mining rights, and critical minerals.’
Another person mentioned that there have been discussions regarding Iran potentially offering US investments in gas and oil. However, the proposal has not yet been formally submitted to Washington.
“[Iran is] looking at Venezuela as a case study,” the person mentioned Trump’s effort to encourage US companies to secure oil deals in the Latin American country following the US’s action to seize Nicolás Maduro last month.
Iran’s goal
This idea is part of Iran’s efforts to demonstrate to Washington that it is committed to a deal and to prevent US strikes, especially as Trump applies increasing pressure.
Iranian officials have also threatened to escalate any conflict with the US following an American attack, suggesting they may reevaluate their earlier policy of limiting retaliation.
Trump’s criticism
Trump, who has organised the largest military buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, cautioned Tehran last week that it had a “maximum” of 15 days to strike a deal, or else “bad things will happen”.
During the State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump criticised Iran’s so-called “sinister” nuclear ambitions and accused Tehran of “working to build missiles that will soon reach” the US.
“My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy,” he said. “But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are . . . to have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let that happen.”
Iran maintains that its program is for civilian use, yet it was enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels prior to the US and Israel bombings of its nuclear facilities last year.
The report mentioned that Iran is considering a multinational verification mechanism for its nuclear program. This could include a US team or a third country acting on its behalf, in addition to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s watchdog agency.
On Tuesday, Araghchi said that Iran “will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon” and would aim for a “fair and equitable deal — in the shortest possible time”.
