TOP STORIES
Iran Wants to Explore Interim Nuclear Deal in Talks with U.S., Sources Say | Axios
Iran is considering proposing during talks with the U.S. that the two countries work on an interim nuclear agreement before pursuing negotiations over a comprehensive deal, a European diplomat and a source familiar with the issue told Axios. An interim agreement between the U.S. and Iran could include suspending some of Iran's uranium enrichment activity, diluting its 60% enriched uranium stockpile and allowing UN inspectors more access to Iran's nuclear facilities.
Rubio Says Direct US-Iran Nuclear Talks to Take Place on Saturday | Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday the United States will hold direct talks with Iran this weekend to discuss Iran's nuclear program. “We hope that’ll lead to peace. We've been very clear what Iran is never going to have a nuclear weapon, and I think that's what led to this meeting,” Rubio said during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Donald Trump.
Iran May Expel UN Nuclear Inspectors amid Threats from US | Telegraph
A senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader warned on Thursday that Iran could expel UN nuclear inspectors, in an apparent swipe at the United States. Ali Shamkhani, a rear admiral, said Iran might take “deterrent measures, including expulsion of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)” if foreign threats continue.
UANI IN THE NEWS
US Sanctions Dubai Shipowner and Over Two Dozen Tankers Ahead of Iran Talks | Lloyd’s List
Claire Jungman, chief of staff at advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), said Ofac’s focus on the role that smaller tankers play in Iran’s oil trades, as well as its targeting of an Indian businessman, were notable. “This is one of the first times Ofac has drawn attention to how handysize vessels are used in prolonged ship-to ship transfers to build up a single export cargo — revealing the sheer complexity and patience behind Iran’s smuggling operations,” she told Lloyd’s List. “This action also breaks new ground by exposing the role of India-based companies in enabling Iran’s illicit oil trade. While previous designations have targeted facilitators in the Gulf, China and Southeast Asia, this is a pointed signal toward India-based maritime actors who are providing operational cover for the regime.” She continued, “These designations also draw overdue attention to blending schemes in places like Khor al Zubair, Iraq, where Iranian barrels are mixed with Iraqi-origin product to secure a false identity. Meanwhile, the State Department meanwhile targeted two very large crude carriers, a Chinese crude oil and petroleum products storage terminal in Zhoushan, China, and three ship management firms. The two VLCCs are Amor (IMO: 9182291) and Virgo (IMO: 9236250). Amor was the top shipper of Iranian oil in 2024, according to UANI. The VLCC was reportedly sold for recycling at the end of last year but apparently was not yet ready to retire as it kept plying its old Iranian trades rather than hitting the beaches. Virgo did not make UANI’s top 10 list of prolific Iranian oil shippers in 2024 but nonetheless holds a place in the dark fleet’s history books.
US Slaps More Sanctions on Firms, 30 Tankers Linked to Iran Oil Exports | Iran International
The US Treasury on Thursday designated an Indian national and his tanker company along with other vessels and entities linked to exporting Iranian oil in contravention of US sanctions. Jugwinder Singh Brar, chairman of Prime Tankers, along with seven other firms and 30 vessels were named in a notice published on the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control Specially Designated Nationals and entities (SDN) list. Many of the ships and companies had been cited by Washington-based advocacy group United Against a Nuclear Iran (UANI) as facilitators of Iran's energy sales.
NUCLEAR DIPLOMACY & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
IAEA Chief to Visit Tehran as Trump Renews Military Threat | Iran International
Iran’s nuclear chief announced late Wednesday that Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is expected to visit Tehran around April 20, likely to address unresolved issues related to monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities.
Iran Says It Will Give US Talks About Nuclear Plans a ‘Genuine Chance’ | Reuters
Iran said on Friday it was giving high-level nuclear talks with the United States on Saturday “a genuine chance,” after President Donald Trump threatened bombing if discussions failed. The Iranian foreign ministry said on Friday that the U.S. should value the Islamic Republic's decision to engage in talks despite what it called Washington's “prevailing confrontational hoopla.”
Iran's 'Master Negotiator' Tasked with Averting War | Reuters
Abbas Araqchi, Iran's seasoned top diplomat, faces one of his most delicate challenges ever this weekend as he prepares to lead talks with the U.S. to secure a new nuclear deal and avert a military strike against the Islamic Republic.
A leading U.S. research institute devoted to monitoring Iran’s illicit nuclear weapons program published an alarming report ahead of this weekend’s U.S.-Iran talks, declaring Tehran’s atomic weapons system has reached an extremely dangerous stage. The Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Science and International Security titled its shocking new report, “The Iran Threat Geiger Counter: Extreme Danger Grows.”
As Trump Squares Off with Iran, the Middle East Is on Edge | Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration’s high-pressure campaign to deal with Iran’s nuclear program has put U.S. allies in the Middle East on edge that failure at the negotiating table could spark another war.
Khamenei’s Shift on Talks with Trump Draws Public Backlash | Iran International
Iran International has received a wave of criticism over Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s decision to drop his longstanding opposition to talks with the United States, fueling a perception among some Iranians that he has simply capitulated under pressure in a bid to retain power. The reaction came after Iran International invited public responses to the reversal in Khamenei’s stance, asking why he would now consider negotiations he previously called “unwise, undignified, and dishonorable.”
Due to Tehran’s behavior and repeated violations of its commitments, the era of diplomacy is over. The last thing Trump wants is to be compared to Obama. The lessons from 2015 must be clear to avoid another disastrous deal. No negotiations should begin until Iran fully dismantles its nuclear program. We’ve learned the hard way that the right declarations and goals at the start of talks don’t guarantee the desired outcome at the end.
SANCTIONS, SHIPPING, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
China’s March Iranian Oil Imports Surge on US Sanctions Fears | Reuters
China’s imports of Iranian oil surged in March as buyers stocked up amid worries that further U.S. sanctions on Tehran could tighten supplies, traders and analysts said. China’s oil imports from Iran surpassed 1.8 million barrels per day last month, an all-time high, coinciding with a rise in inventory levels in independent refining hub Shandong province, according to data by ship tracking firm Vortexa.
US Targets China Oil Storage Terminal in New Iran-related Sanctions | Reuters
The Trump administration imposed sanctions on Iranian oil trading networks on Thursday, including on a China-based crude oil storage terminal linked via a pipeline to an independent refinery, just days before talks between the U.S. and Iran.
PROTESTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Execution of Five Prisoners, Looming Amputations in Iran Alarm Rights Groups | Iran International
Iran plans to amputate the fingers of three men convicted of theft on Friday just days after executing five political prisoners, prompting alarm from UN human rights experts and international rights groups.
MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS
If you were confused by the Telegraph article on Iran “abandoning” the Houthis, you’re not alone. That narrative is precisely the kind of strategic ambiguity Iran has long relied on, inviting speculation while concealing intent. But this moment isn’t just about misinformation. It’s about signaling. The anonymous official leaking the headline appears to be offering the perception of restraint, not to change facts on the ground, but to buy time, test reactions, and shape how those facts are read in Washington, Riyadh, and beyond.
EUROPE & IRAN
Europeans Sidelined in US-Iran Nuclear Talks Despite Holding Key Card | Reuters
Washington's decision not to coordinate with European nations about its negotiations with Iran on Saturday will reduce its leverage and make U.S. and Israeli military action against Tehran ultimately more likely, analysts and diplomats said. The United States did not tell European countries about the nuclear talks in Oman before President Donald Trump announced them on Tuesday, even though they hold a key card on the possible reimposition of U.N. sanctions on Tehran, three European diplomats said.
ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON, & IRAN
There is a real danger that US President Donald Trump could agree to a mediocre nuclear deal with Iran, multiple top Israeli sources have told The Jerusalem Post. If Trump does agree to such a deal, some of the sources are deeply concerned that the president may circumscribe the IDF’s current unique opportunity to strike the Islamic Republic.
ARMENIA & IRAN
Armenia and Iran Hold Joint Military Drills amid Strains over Azerbaijan, Nuclear Program | Reuters
Iran and Armenia were set to conclude two days of joint military exercises along their shared border on Thursday, amid tensions over Iran's nuclear program and between longtime rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan.