Iran’s Supreme Leader Rejects U.S. Nuclear Proposal
TEHRAN: On Wednesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, expressed strong opposition to a recent U.S. proposal regarding a nuclear agreement, stating it contradicts the nation’s interests and principles established during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. This statement comes amidst ongoing negotiations about Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities.
Since April, Iran and the U.S. have engaged in five rounds of discussions to develop a new agreement following the withdrawal of former President Donald Trump from the original deal in 2018.
Over the weekend, Iran reported receiving components of the U.S. proposal through intermediaries from Oman, though the specifics remain confidential.
Khamenei, in a televised address, stated that the U.S. nuclear proposal is "100% against" the core values of the revolution and emphasized that "independence means not depending on approval from the U.S. or similar countries."
The subject of uranium enrichment remains a significant point of debate. President Trump reiterated on Monday that his administration would not sanction any enrichment activities, despite Iran’s stance that such actions fall under its rights as outlined in the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Khamenei labeled uranium enrichment as "crucial" for Iran’s nuclear program, asserting that the U.S. should not dictate the terms of enrichment. He remarked, "Having 100 nuclear power plants without enrichment would be futile, as these plants require indigenous fuel to function."
Concerns Over Compliance
On Monday, Iran’s chief negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, met in Cairo with Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA’s recent quarterly report revealed that Iran has significantly increased its production of highly enriched uranium.
In a separate finding, the IAEA characterized Iran’s cooperation as "less than satisfactory," particularly concerning unresolved issues regarding nuclear material discovered at undisclosed sites.
Currently, Iran enriches uranium to 60%, which exceeds the 3.67% limit established in the 2015 agreement but remains below the 90% level necessary for weapons-grade material.
These findings come as the IAEA Board of Governors is set to hold a meeting in Vienna later this month to evaluate Iran’s nuclear activities. Western nations continue to accuse Tehran of pursuing a nuclear weapons program, a claim that Iran refutes, asserting that its nuclear efforts are strictly for peaceful purposes.
The 2015 agreement had permitted Iran to escape certain international sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear activities monitored by the U.N. Following the U.S. exit from the deal in 2018, sanctions were reapplied, with additional penalties targeting third parties.
Currently, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, the European signatories to the 2015 deal, are considering invoking a "snapback" mechanism to restore U.N. sanctions should Iran fail to comply—an option that will expire in October.
Iran has criticized the IAEA’s latest report, claiming that it was influenced by "fabricated documents" provided by Israel, a long-standing adversary.
