The potential deal would mark a major reversal in policy for President Donald Trump, who pulled the U.S. out of the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran in 2018, arguing in part that the sanctions relief and unfreezing of Iranian assets had provided a “ lifeline of cash ” to the Iranian regime to continue its malign activities.

Experts long argued that airstrikes alone would not be capable of permanently ending Iran's nuclear program absent negotiations.

Attacks also destroyed facilities linked to nuclear development, including the headquarters of Iran’s defence research agency, and buildings at a university in Tehran believed to be associated with the nuclear programme.