The United States and Iran may be moving closer to an agreement to end the war, with Tehran reportedly showing unexpected flexibility over nuclear issues it had previously refused to negotiate. But Iran has made one condition increasingly clear: Washington must demonstrate its commitments through concrete action, not another round of promises.
Bloomberg, citing a diplomatic source, reported that negotiations between Washington and Tehran were approaching a potential breakthrough after months of diplomatic deadlock.
According to the source, Iran is considering proposals concerning its nuclear activities presented by Qatar, which has emerged as the principal mediator in efforts to bring the war to an end.
The details of the Qatari proposals have not been disclosed. However, Tehran’s reported willingness to discuss previously excluded aspects of its nuclear programme could create an opening for negotiations that have struggled to produce meaningful progress.
The diplomatic source suggested that any Iranian concession on the nuclear issue could significantly advance negotiations, which have remained largely stalled since the collapse of a temporary peace agreement reached in June 2026.
Despite these indications of flexibility, Tehran is signalling that it will not accept another diplomatic arrangement based solely on American assurances.
Iran’s Message to Washington: Actions Before Promises
Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has warned that Tehran is no longer prepared to accept what he described as “theoretical commitments” from the United States.
His remarks suggest that while Iran may be willing to reconsider certain negotiating positions, it expects Washington to take practical steps before a new diplomatic process can begin.
Speaking to Iranian state television, Bagheri Kani accused the United States of repeatedly undermining diplomatic efforts over the previous 18 months.
“The Americans violated their commitments during negotiations over the past year and a half and caused them to fail,” he said.
He maintained that Iran had legitimate grounds to demand more than written American guarantees before entering another round of diplomacy.
The position reflects Tehran’s insistence that any renewed negotiations must be accompanied by tangible measures demonstrating Washington’s willingness to fulfil its obligations.
According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, Bagheri Kani, who also serves as an international affairs official within the Supreme National Security Council’s secretariat, reiterated that Iran must witness concrete American actions before agreeing to move forward.
He indicated that once such measures become evident, the conditions could emerge for opening a new chapter in diplomatic relations.
A Possible Breakthrough, but No Agreement Yet
The latest developments reveal a potentially important shift in the negotiations.
On one side, Iran is reportedly considering proposals that could involve concessions on nuclear activities previously kept outside the negotiating framework.
On the other, Iranian officials are insisting that the United States must first demonstrate that its commitments will translate into actual policy.
That distinction could determine whether the current diplomatic initiative succeeds where earlier negotiations failed.
Qatar’s mediation has provided a channel for exploring possible compromises, but the substance of its proposals remains undisclosed, and neither the scale of potential Iranian concessions nor the practical measures expected from Washington has been clarified.
For now, the reported progress suggests that a negotiated end to the war may be becoming more achievable.
The decisive question, however, is whether Washington is prepared to take the concrete steps Tehran is demanding, rather than relying on assurances that Iranian officials say have repeatedly failed to deliver.
