Iran Vows to Continue Uranium Enrichment Regardless of US Deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has reaffirmed that Iran will proceed with its uranium enrichment activities under its civilian nuclear program, regardless of the outcome of any potential deal with the United States.

In a post on his X account on Sunday evening, Araqchi pointed out that Iran’s right as a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is “crystal clear” and there is “no scenario in which Iranians will permit deviance from that,” The Caspian Post reports, citing Iranian media.

“Mastering enrichment technology is a hard-earned and homegrown scientific achievement; an outcome of great sacrifice of both blood and treasure,” he said.

“If the U.S. is interested in ensuring that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, a deal is within reach, and we are ready for a serious conversation to achieve a solution that will forever ensure that outcome. Enrichment in Iran, however, will continue with or without a deal.”

He also dismissed the latest remarks by top US negotiator Steve Witkoff, who had said that Washington would not allow Iran to have even a one-percent enrichment capability.

“Our U.S. interlocutors are naturally free to publicly state whatever they deem fit to ward off Special Interest groups; malign actors which set the agendas of at least previous Administrations,” he said.

“Iran can only control what we Iranians do, and that is to avoid negotiating in public-particularly given the current dissonance we are seeing between what our U.S. interlocutors say in public and in private, and from one week to the other.”

Tehran and Washington have held four rounds of negotiations mediated by Oman on Iran’s nuclear program and the termination of U.S. sanctions against the country.