US, Israel Mulling Short-Term Nuclear Deal With Iran to Extend Time for Talks, Reports Say

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States and Israel are discussing the idea of a temporary nuclear deal with Iran that would extend the time for negotiations to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Axios reported on Wednesday, citing three US and Israeli sources.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and his Israeli counterpart have discussed the proposal but talks are only in a preliminary stage, the report said.

According to Axios, the preliminary US plan would propose that Iran stop uranium enrichment at the level of up to 60 percent in exchange for unfreezing some Iranian assets and lifting sanctions on the supply of humanitarian goods.

Sullivan's counterpart, Eyal Hulata, reportedly disagreed with the plan, stressing that a short-term deal would become a permanent agreement that allows Iran to keep its nuclear infrastructure and uranium stockpile, the report said. He told Sullivan the United States and its European allies need to push for a censure resolution against Iran in the International Atomic Energy Agency's meeting next week.

US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley was in Israel earlier this week to meet with Hulata, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who conveyed that more pressure needs to be placed on Iran to revive the JCPOA.

The Vienna talks on the Iranian nuclear deal are set to resume on November 29 after being suspended in June due to the upcoming presidential election in Iran. The negotiations, which began in April, were held in the P5+1 format comprising Russia, China, the US, the UK, France, Germany and Iran, with no direct talks between the Iranian and American delegations as of yet.

In August, the newly elected Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi noted that Tehran is ready for negotiations and would support diplomatic initiatives provided that Washington lifts anti-Iranian sanctions.