Iran neither retreats from principles in talks, nor seeks tension: Pezeshkian
President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that Iran would neither back down from its principles in the ongoing nuclear talks with the United States, nor would it seek tension.
In a meeting with a number of Iranian lawmakers, Pezeshkian said the negotiations are carried out in full coordination with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
“We have not tied the people’s livelihood and living conditions to the talks, nor will we ever do so,” the Iranian president added.
Since April 12, the two countries have held four rounds of talks on Iran’s nuclear program and removal of sanctions imposed on Iran.
Iran described the latest round of the talks held on Sunday as “difficult but useful” while a senior US official said Washington was “encouraged” and both sides confirmed plans for future negotiations.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who is a senior member of Iranian delegation in the negotiations, on Tuesday gave some details of the fourth round of the talks in Oman.
Gharibabadi said the Iranian side criticized the contradictory positions of the American officials and the sanctions recently imposed on Iran.
Respecting Iran’s red lines
Gharibabadi also said the Iranian delegation underlined that reaching an agreement depends on respecting Iran’s red lines.
“Therefore, if the Americans are after zero enrichment (in Iran), we see no need to continue the negotiations.”
The US officials, including Washington’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff have called Iran’s uranium enrichment a red line for the US.
Witkoff said on Friday that Iran’s “enrichment facilities have to be dismantled.”
In a separate meeting on Sunday, Pezeshkian clarified that the Islamic Republic found the demand for dismantlement of its entire nuclear infrastructure “unacceptable.”
He underscored that Iran would not give up its nuclear achievements, particularly in the realm of peaceful energy.
Pezeshkian stressed that Tehran is serious in the negotiations and seeks to reach an agreement to put an end to decades of tensions on the issue.
He assured that Iran has never pursued, is not pursuing, and will never pursue nuclear weapons.
Regarding the uranium enrichment, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who leads the Iran’s delegation in negotiations, has also said it is absolutely non-negotiable. But he said that Iran may be open to limit the level and volume of enrichment as a confidence-building move over a specified period.
Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami stressed that, “The path of nuclear progress (in Iran) is clear, peaceful, and unstoppable — something the enemies have repeatedly admitted to.”
Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent purity – far above the 3.67 percent limit set in the 2015 deal.