Tehran – Iran has reiterated its longstanding position of uranium enrichment not being able to stop within the country and with the leader of Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, at this point, appearing on the public stage.
Tehran and Washington have been participating in four rounds of indirect talks since early April. The debate aims to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the termination of sanctions reflecting contracts that had been signed with five other countries in 2015, and in 2018 Donald Trump withdrew.
In his first term, Trump had sought to add restrictions to Iran’s military and foreign policy in addition to his nuclear program, but he now demands that it appears to have fallen. However, he is still keen on Iran’s uranium enrichment. The issue that Tehran has clarified is a non-starter since new negotiations began. In an interview last week, Washington’s chief negotiator and envoy for the special president, Steve Witkoff said the United States “cannot even allow 1% of its enrichment capacity.”
“It’s a big mistake to say “Iran will not allow uranium to be enriched”,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in Tehran on Tuesday after warning him not to say “nonsense.” “We don’t wait for permission from anyone. The Islamic Republic has its own policies, its own methods and it pursues its own agenda,” he added.
The Tehran Times, coupled with similar declarations from other American officials, understands that Witkov’s recent statements in the media have promoted skepticism among Iranians regarding the true intentions of the United States. Ayatollah Khamenei spoke publicly about his skepticism in a speech on Tuesday. “There were indirect negotiations during the martian term, but no results were obtained,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The leader said he will explain another time why Washington is so urgently demanding that Iran end uranium enrichment.
Shortly after an American official made a statement in an interview with the ABC, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragut has won X and has made it clear that Iran will continue to enrich uranium with an agreement with the US “with or without”. “If the US is interested in ensuring that Iran does not have nuclear weapons, the transaction is out of reach and we are ready for a serious conversation to achieve a solution that will ensure that the outcome is forever. But Iran’s enrichment continues with or without trade.”
The fifth meeting remains unplanned. Araghchi says the date and location are being provided, but Tehran has not yet provided confirmation. It is unclear whether Iran has shelved the decision for Witkov’s latest remarks.
By Mona Hojat Ansari