Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States “will lead nowhere” if Washington insists that Tehran drop its uranium enrichment activity to zero, state media quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi on Monday as saying.
Western countries, including the United States and Israel, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons — an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, claiming that its program is for peaceful civilian purposes.
However, Iran, which is sworn to Israel’s destruction, has ramped up its enrichment of uranium to 60 percent purity, which has no application beyond nuclear weapons, and has obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities.
Israel has also threatened to attack Iran, vowing not to let Tehran get nuclear weapons.
Trump, who branded the 2015 accord one-sided in Iran’s favor, also reimposed sweeping US sanctions on Iran.
Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi was quoted by state media on Monday as saying that nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States “will lead nowhere” if Washington demands that Tehran cease all uranium enrichment activities.
Washington’s position that any new agreement between the US and Iran must include an agreement not to enrich uranium, a potential route to developing nuclear bombs, was reaffirmed by US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Sunday.
“We have made it clear that enrichment is a national accomplishment that we will not compromise on,” Takht-Ravanchi said.
The United States and Israel, among other Western nations, have long accused Iran of attempting to obtain nuclear weapons. Tehran has continuously refuted these accusations, asserting that its program is for peaceful civilian uses. Iran has accelerated the enrichment of uranium to 60% purity, which has no use outside nuclear weapons, and has blocked international inspectors from inspecting its nuclear facilities. Iran is sworn to destroy Israel.
“Enrichment is the one very, very obvious red line that we have. Witkoff stated on ABC’s “This Week” that “we cannot allow even 1 percent of an enrichment capability.”. “”.
In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on his X account: “We are prepared for a serious discussion to reach a solution that will permanently ensure that outcome if the US is interested in ensuring that Iran will not have nuclear weapons. A deal is within reach.”. But whether a deal is reached or not, Iran will continue to enrich. “”.
Although the Trump administration has since hardened its public position, Witkoff had earlier this year stated that the US would tolerate Iran having a limited enrichment capability.
During his trip to the Gulf last week, US President Donald Trump stated that Iran needed to act swiftly but that a deal was very close.
The United States and Iran are reportedly attempting to agree on the specifics of a potential agreement after talks on Tehran’s nuclear capabilities reached the “expert” level. The Trump administration is increasingly demanding that the Islamic Republic give up its uranium enrichment program, which Tehran maintains must be permitted. This is still a major point of contention.
Trump has made several threats that if a deal isn’t reached, he will launch airstrikes against Iran’s program. Iran’s uranium stockpile, which has been enriched to levels close to weapons-grade, has led Iranian officials to increasingly warn that they may pursue a nuclear weapon.
In addition, Israel has vowed to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons and threatened to attack Iran. Given the Islamic Republic’s persistent calls to exterminate Israel, Israel sees an Iranian bomb as an existential threat.
Trump pulled out of a 2015 agreement between Iran and international powers that severely restricted Tehran’s enrichment activities in return for a reprieve from international sanctions during his first term as president, which ran from 2017 to 21.
President Trump reinstated broad U.S. sanctions against Iran after calling the 2015 agreement unfair to Iran. The Islamic Republic increased enrichment in response.
