TEHRAN — Iran pressed the United States on Monday for guarantees that it will drop sanctions as a condition for a nuclear deal, after the White House reportedly sent a proposal the US deemed “acceptable.”

With Iran and the United States engaged in talks over Tehran’s nuclear program since April, Washington’s proposal for a deal came after leaked UN reports said Iran had stepped up production of highly enriched uranium and carried out secretive nuclear activities.

Iran’s top diplomat and lead nuclear negotiator was due to meet the head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Cairo on Monday, a day after the report was leaked.

Iran has rejected the report, warning it would retaliate if European powers that have threatened to reimpose nuclear sanctions “exploit” the report.

The United States, Israel and Western countries have accused Iran — which vows to destroy Israel — of seeking nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied, insisting it........

© The Times of Israel