By Micah Jonah
February 12, 2026
The United States and Iran are reportedly showing signs of flexibility in ongoing negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme, Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan has revealed.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Fidan said Washington appears “willing” to tolerate some level of uranium enrichment, a shift from previous demands that Iran completely relinquish its enriched stockpile.
“It is positive that the Americans appear willing to tolerate Iranian enrichment within clearly set boundaries,” Fidan said. “The Iranians now recognize that they need to reach a deal with the Americans, and the Americans understand that the Iranians have certain limits. It’s pointless to try to force them.”
Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian has insisted that Tehran will continue to demand the lifting of financial sanctions while retaining its nuclear rights, including uranium enrichment.
Fidan added that Tehran is genuinely committed to reaching an agreement and is prepared to accept restrictions on enrichment levels along with a strict inspection regime, similar to the 2015 nuclear deal.
The developments come after a round of talks in Oman, held to revive diplomacy amid fears of military escalation in the region. Last week, US President Donald Trump had positioned a naval flotilla in the Middle East and said he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier to counter potential threats.
Fidan, however, warned against broadening the talks to include Iran’s ballistic missile programme, saying it could trigger “nothing but another war.”
The US State Department and White House did not immediately comment on the latest remarks.
