Tehran (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated that U.S. demands for Iran to stop enriching uranium are “excessive and outrageous, ” according to state media, expressing scepticism about the potential for an agreement in nuclear talks.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff emphasised the U.S. position that any new agreement between Washington and Tehran must involve a commitment to halt enrichment, which could lead to the development of nuclear weapons.
Although it was anticipated that a fifth round of talks would occur over the weekend in Rome, the nuclear talks are unstable due to disagreements between Tehran and Washington regarding nuclear enrichment.
“I don’t think nuclear talks with the U.S. will bring results. I don’t know what will happen,”
Khamenei said, adding that the US should abstain from making excessive demands in the talks.
Why does Iran reject U.S. nuclear enrichment demands?
Moreover, On Monday, Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi stated that negotiations would collapse if the US continues to demand that Iran stop its domestic uranium enrichment, which the US claims could lead to the development of nuclear weapons.
“Our position on enrichment is clear, and we have repeatedly stated that it is a national achievement from which we will not back down,”
Takhtravanchi stated.
Iran claims its nuclear energy programme is solely for peaceful objectives.
On Tuesday, Kazem Gharibabadi, another Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, stated that Iran has received and is currently evaluating a proposal from the US.
How has Trump’s stance shaped current nuclear negotiations?
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Tehran was required to
“move quickly or something bad is going to happen.”
The president of the United States has frequently threatened to strike Iran and impose harsh sanctions if it does not agree to end its controversial nuclear program.
Trump pulled out of a 2015 agreement between Iran and other powers that severely restricted Tehran’s enrichment efforts in return for a reprieve from international sanctions during his first term as president, which extended from 2017 to 21. Trump reinstated broad U.S. sanctions on Iran after calling the 2015 agreement unfair to Iran. In response, the Islamic Republic increased enrichment.
