Iran Nuclear Talks Stall Amid Israeli Strike Preparations

Israel has intensified preparations for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, driven by concerns over Iran’s advancing program.

MIDDLE EAST — On June 4, 2025, Iran rejected a U.S. nuclear proposal aimed at curbing its uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief, according to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This rejection, following the fifth round of negotiations in Rome on May 23, 2025, has stalled talks, with the U.S. Department of State noting limited progress due to disputes over Iran’s 60% purity enrichment.

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Israel has intensified preparations for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, driven by concerns over Iran’s advancing program, according to U.S. intelligence late last month.

Location of Iran's nuclear facilities. Image credit: Yagasi, translation of the original work by Sémhur, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Acronym Index

• CENTCOM: United States Central Command

• CSIS: Center for Strategic and International Studies

• IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency

• JCPOA: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action

• NPT: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

• SIPRI: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

• UN: United Nations

• US: United States

Historical Context

The Iran nuclear issue has been a persistent concern for the international community since the early 2000s. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed on July 14, 2015, between Iran and the P5+1 (United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany), marked a significant effort to limit Iran’s nuclear activities.

The agreement capped uranium enrichment at 3.67% and reduced Iran’s stockpile in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA on May 8, 2018, under President Donald Trump, followed by reimposed sanctions, prompted Iran to resume enrichment, reaching 20% purity by 2021 and 60% by 2023, citing its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Israel, perceiving Iran’s nuclear program as an existential threat, has employed both covert and overt measures to counter it. These include the Stuxnet cyberattack in 2010, which disrupted centrifuges at Natanz, and airstrikes on October 26, 2024, targeting Iranian air defenses and missile sites.

The assassination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in November 2020 heightened tensions further. Iran has responded by fortifying underground facilities like Natanz and Fordow, underscoring the ongoing strategic rivalry.

Timeline of Key Events, Discovery of Hidden Nuclear Facility Producing Tritium: