Iran insists on its right to enrich uranium and proposes steps to restore trust
Iran insists on recognising its right to enrich uranium and declares its readiness to take confidence-building measures in negotiations with the United States. This was announced by Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi, commenting on the prospects for the resumption of nuclear agreements.
According to Arakchi, the zero enrichment approach is unacceptable to Tehran. He stressed that negotiations should focus on recognising uranium enrichment on Iranian territory while establishing mechanisms to ensure that this activity is exclusively peaceful. The minister stressed that Iran's insistence on enrichment is not only based on technical or economic grounds, but is also linked to the desire for independence and national dignity.
The statements came after indirect talks between representatives of Iran and the United States, which took place on Friday in Oman. The contacts were aimed at reviving diplomacy amid a build-up of American naval presence near Iran and Tehran's statements of a harsh response in case of an attack.
Last year, the parties held five rounds of nuclear talks, but they reached an impasse due to disagreements over uranium enrichment within Iran. In June, the US struck Iranian nuclear facilities at the end of 12 days of bombing by Israel. Tehran then announced it would halt enrichment, which Washington considers a potential path to nuclear weapons, while Iran insists its programme is peaceful.
A diplomat in the region, informed by the Iranian side, said Tehran was willing to discuss the level and purity of enrichment, as well as other arrangements, if it retained the right to enrich uranium on its own territory and sanctions were eased along with military de-escalation.
Arakchi also said that Iran's missile programme, which the US would like to include in the agenda of the negotiations, has never been part of the discussions. For his part, President Masoud Pezeshkian called the talks with the US a step forward and stressed that Tehran expects its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to be respected.
The date and venue of the next round of talks, according to Arakchi, will be determined in consultation with Oman and may not take place in Muscat.
