Iran 'ready to make nuclear concessions' - as Trump asks for Qatar's help getting a deal

A top Iranian official has said the country is prepared to make a number of concessions related to its nuclear programme, in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

It comes as Donald Trump, during his tour of the Middle East, urged Qatar to wield its influence over Iran to persuade it to give up its nuclear programme. Ali Shamkhani, a top political, military and nuclear adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, spoke to Sky News' US partner NBC News.

He said Tehran was willing to commit to never making nuclear weapons again, getting rid of its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, which can be weaponised, agree to only enrich uranium to the lower levels needed for civilian use and allow international inspectors to supervise the process. This was in exchange for the prospect of the immediate lifting of all economic sanctions on the country.

Asked if Iran would sign an agreement today if those conditions were met, Mr Shamkhani told NBC: "Yes." His comments are the clearest public indication of what Iran hopes to get out of a deal and their willingness to do one. "It's still possible.

If the Americans act as they say, for sure we can have better relations," Mr Shamkhani added. However, he expressed frustration at continued threats from the US president, describing them as "all barbed wire" and no olive branch.

Similarly, he warned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might try to derail the deal. Trump goes to the Middle East Elsewhere, on the second of three stops on his tour of the Middle East, Mr Trump appealed to Qatar for help in the process.

He urged the country to use its influence over Iran to persuade its leadership to reach a deal with the US and dial back its rapidly advancing nuclear programme. Mr Trump made the comments during a state dinner.

He said: "I hope you can help me with the Iran situation. "It's a perilous situation, and we want to do the right thing." Over the years, Qatar has played the role of intermediary between the US and Iran and its proxies - including talks with Hamas as its 19-month war with Israel grinds on.

This comes after Mr Trump told a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this week that he wants "to make a deal". However, he said that as part of any agreement, Iran must end its support of proxy groups throughout the Middle East.

A nuclear Iran Mr Trump has always said Iran could not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. While Iran has always denied doing so, the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has warned that Tehran has enough enriched uranium close to weapons-grade quality for nearly six bombs.

Read more:King 'piggy in the middle' in Canada-US stand-offTrump: 'It would be stupid not to accept Qatari plane' The US and Iran reached a nuclear deal in 2015, under Barack Obama, in which Iran agreed to drastically reduce its stockpile of uranium and limit enriching up to 3.67%. But Mr Trump scrapped that deal in his first term.

Today, Iran enriches up to 60%, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels. Washington and Tehran have engaged in four rounds of talks since early April..