Pezeshkian: Iran ‘serious’ in nuclear talks with US
Trump: Very good things happening with Iran
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Tehran is “serious” in its nuclear negotiations with the United States and seeks to reach an agreement to put an end to decades of tensions on the issue.
Addressing a cabinet meeting, Pezeshkian assured that Iran has never pursued, is not pursuing, and will never pursue nuclear weapons.
Since April 12, the two countries have held four rounds of talks on Iran’s nuclear program and removal of sanctions imposed on Iran.
Both sides have described the negotiations mediated by Oman as “positive and constructive.”
However, the US officials’ recent demands for dismantlement of Iran’s entire uranium enrichment infrastructure caused Iranian officials to raise an eyebrow and quickly react to the demands.
‘Unacceptable’ demand
The Iranian president clarified that the Islamic Republic found the demand for dismantlement of its entire nuclear infrastructure “unacceptable.”
The US officials, including Washington’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff have called Iran’s uranium enrichment a red line for the US.
Witkoff said in a Friday interview that Iran’s “enrichment facilities have to be dismantled.”
“That’s our red line. No enrichment,” he told US right-wing outlet Breitbart News, after initially suggesting flexibility on Tehran maintaining low-level enrichment of uranium for civilian purposes.
Pezeshkian on Monday underscored that Iran would not give up its nuclear achievements, particularly in the realm of peaceful energy.
Iran is decisively following up its nuclear energy work since nuclear technology significantly benefited the nation, not just in terms of energy production, but as far as vital sectors such as medicine, agriculture, and environmental protection were concerned, he said.
Iran and the US wrapped up the fourth round of nuclear talks in Oman on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to travel to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week, said on Monday that there are “very good things happening” with Iran.
Iranians ‘talking intelligently’
“They can’t have a nuclear weapon, but I think that they are talking intelligently,” Trump said during a White House press conference.
“We’re in the midst of talking to them, and they’re right now acting very intelligent.”
“We want Iran to be wealthy and wonderful and happy and great, but they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
After the Sunday talks in Oman, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who leads the Iran’s delegation in negotiations, said that Tehran and Washington narrowed their differences and at the very least, the two sides reached a better understanding of each other’s positions.
Araghchi described the latest round of negotiations as “more serious” and “more detailed” than previous meetings, adding that “more detailed issues” were discussed and that the negotiations were “moving forward.”
The top Iranian diplomat also reaffirmed that the issue of uranium enrichment is absolutely non-negotiable. But he said that Iran may may be open to limit the extent, level, or capacity of enrichment for the purpose of confidence-building over a specified period, similar to what has been experienced in the past.
Araghchi, who leads the Iranian delegation in the negotiations with the US, added that the primary objective of the negotiations is to get the sanctions lifted, and the issue has always been – and remains – one of the fundamental pillars of the talks.