Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takhtravanchi stated on Monday that nuclear talks with the United States will be futile if Washington continues to demand the cessation of Tehran’s uranium enrichment activities. Takhtravanchi emphasized that Iran will not back down from its position, labeling enrichment a “national achievement.”
Takhtravanchi’s comments came after U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff reiterated on Sunday that any new agreement between the U.S. and Iran must include a commitment from Tehran to halt enrichment, which could potentially be used for nuclear weapons development. Iran, however, maintains that its nuclear energy program is entirely for peaceful purposes.
“Our stance on enrichment is firm, and we have repeatedly stated that it is non-negotiable,” Takhtravanchi said.
U.S. President Donald Trump, during his Gulf visit last week, suggested that a deal was nearly within reach but emphasized the need for Iran to act quickly to resolve the longstanding dispute. However, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei criticized the U.S. for sending contradictory messages, stating that despite the public rhetoric, Iran is still engaged in the talks.
A fifth round of discussions is expected to take place in Rome this weekend, though this is yet to be confirmed, according to an Iranian official.
Trump, during his first term as president (2017-2021), withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal, which had imposed limits on Iran’s enrichment activities in exchange for sanctions relief. After pulling out of the agreement, Trump reimposed broad U.S. sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to resume and expand its enrichment efforts.
