Iran is seeking to draw the United States into investment opportunities as a way to revive diplomacy and avert a military confrontation, according to a report by the Financial Times.
The newspaper said Iranian officials are promoting potential U.S. investments in Iran’s oil, natural gas, and mining sectors, hoping the economic upside will encourage President Trump to sign a new agreement. One Iranian official described the proposal as a “commercial bonanza," citing access to energy resources, mining rights, and critical minerals.
Another source told the paper that discussions around the idea are ongoing but that no formal proposal has yet been presented to the United States. The talks are said to be exploratory and remain at an early stage.
According to the report, Iran is also studying the precedent of Venezuela, where U.S. investments were previously allowed. Tehran hopes a similar approach could ease sanctions and unlock tens of billions of dollars in Iranian funds currently held abroad.