US President Donald Trump has said he would accept a 20-year suspension by Iran of its nuclear programme, in what appears to be a confirmation of a shift in position away from a demand for a total end to it.
Trump said it had to be a real 20 years. Previously he has called on Iran to cease enriching uranium permanently and to be prevented from ever acquiring nuclear weapons.
However, he also said his patience with Iran was running out, with no sign of a breakthrough in talks.
Israeli and US forces began massive air strikes on Iran on February 28, and a ceasefire meant to facilitate talks has been largely observed, despite some exchanges of fire.
Pakistan has been playing the role of mediator. However, both sides appear to be far apart, having rejected each other's most recent proposals to end the war.
Iranian media reported that Tehran's proposal included an immediate end to the war on all fronts, a halt to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, and guarantees of no further attacks on Iran.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One after talks in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump stated that Tehran could not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran is currently blocking, leading to a rise in world oil prices.
When a reporter queried if a 20-year suspension was sufficient, Trump replied, Twenty years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them, in other words, it's got to be a real 20 years. He did not elaborate.
This is thought to be the first time Trump himself has mentioned a 20-year timeframe. In his first term, he withdrew from a 2015 nuclear agreement reached with Iran, criticizing the so-called sunset clauses that could allow restrictions to expire over time.
Israel has not yet reacted to Trump's remarks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium must be taken out before any end to the war against Iran can be considered.
