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Iran declared on Monday that it would not engage in new nuclear discussions with the United States if these talks were contingent upon Tehran halting its uranium enrichment processes.
The U.S. and Iran had been in the midst of lengthy negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program. However, Israel disrupted these discussions by initiating a series of unexpected military attacks on Iran, which escalated into 12 days of conflict.
In the aftermath of the hostilities, both nations indicated a willingness to resume talks, but Iran emphasized that it would not forfeit its right to utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
“If negotiations are to be dependent on ceasing enrichment activities, such talks will not happen,” stated Ali Velayati, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as reported by the state media outlet IRNA.
These comments followed statements from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei indicating that Iran had not set a timeline for a meeting with the U.S.
“Currently, there’s no set date, time, or location for any discussion between Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff,” Baqaei stated.
Araghchi and Witkoff previously failed to finalize a deal after five rounds of discussions that commenced in April, marking the highest-level communication between the two countries since the U.S. withdrew from a significant nuclear agreement in 2018.
Negotiations mediated by Oman were disrupted when Israel initiated a surprise strike on Iranian nuclear and military sites on June 13, with the U.S. later joining its ally in executing limited strikes.
“We have approached diplomacy in good faith, but as everyone observed, before the sixth round of negotiations, the Zionist regime, in collaboration with the U.S., initiated military aggression against Iran,” Baqaei remarked.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed on Monday that Iran advocates for diplomacy and constructive dialogue.
“We firmly believe that the opportunity for diplomacy is still open, and we will earnestly pursue this peaceful path,” he stated.
Israel and Western nations have accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran has firmly rejected.
While Iran is the only non-nuclear weapons state enriching uranium to 60% purity—near weapons-grade standards—the United Nations nuclear watchdog has noted it has found no evidence that Iran is attempting to weaponize its uranium stockpiles.
### Sanctions
Israel’s military operation, aimed at preventing what it claims is a nuclear threat from Iran, resulted in the deaths of nuclear scientists and high-ranking military officials, as well as damage to civilian areas.
In response, the U.S. carried out its own strikes on June 22 against Iran’s uranium enrichment facility in Fordo, located in Qom province south of Tehran, as well as nuclear sites in Isfahan and Natanz.
Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli cities and attacked a U.S. base in Qatar in response to American strikes.
The level of damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear program remains unclear, and Baqaei has indicated that it is “still being investigated.”
In his latest statement, Pezeshkian warned of “even harsher retaliation” for any future “aggressive acts against Iranian territory.”
Baqaei also mentioned on Monday that Iran maintains communication with Britain, France, and Germany—three European nations that were part of the 2015 nuclear accord that the U.S. later exited.
The European powers have threatened to activate the “snapback” mechanism in the deal, which allows for the reintroduction of UN sanctions if a party is deemed non-compliant.
Baqaei confirmed that Tehran remains in regular contact with these three countries but could not provide a specific date for their next meeting.
He asserted that there is “no legal, moral, or political justification” for reinstating sanctions, as Iran continues to adhere to the 2015 agreement.
He warned that such an action would prompt an “appropriate and proportionate” response, following Iran’s threats to withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Following the U.S. departure from the 2015 agreement under President Donald Trump, Tehran began to retract its commitments to the pact, which had limited its nuclear activities in exchange for relief from sanctions.
“Iran still considers itself an active participant in the JCPOA,” Baqaei concluded, referencing the 2015 deal.
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