- Araqchi calls for trust-building, dismisses US demand to halt enrichment.
- Iran plans to convey Supreme Leader’s message to President Putin of Russia.
- Tehran may resist plans to relocate uranium reserves overseas.
On Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissed the United States’ request to stop uranium enrichment, just days before a new round of nuclear discussions set to take place in Oman this weekend.
Araqchi’s comments were a direct response to statements from the US chief negotiator, Steve Witkoff, who insisted that Tehran must “cease and dismantle its nuclear enrichment” to finalize an agreement with Washington.
“We’ve heard conflicting statements from Witkoff, but the real positions will emerge at the negotiating table,” stated Araqchi.
“While we are open to establishing trust regarding potential concerns over Iran’s enrichment activities, the right to enrich uranium is not negotiable.”
The United States and Iran are set to resume dialogues in Oman on Saturday, amidst rising tensions concerning Tehran’s advancing nuclear ambitions, with US President Donald Trump warning of possible military measures if a resolution is not achieved.
According to Iranian state media, Araqchi will be traveling to Russia ahead of the negotiations to convey a message from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to President Vladimir Putin.
On Tuesday, the Kremlin refrained from commenting when asked if Russia would be willing to take custody of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile as part of a prospective nuclear agreement.
Reports from The Guardian indicated that Iran is expected to reject a US proposal to move its enriched uranium to a third country, such as Russia, as part of an agreement designed to curtail Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
