Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated on Saturday that if the United States aims to deny Iran of its “nuclear rights,” Tehran will stand firm in defending those rights. Araqchi made these remarks in Doha before another round of upcoming nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. in Oman. He emphasized Iran’s stance on its right to enrich uranium, calling it non-negotiable and rejecting any “zero enrichment” demand from U.S. officials.
While U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, asserted that Iran’s enrichment facilities must be dismantled as part of any agreement with the U.S., Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Araqchi underscored Iran’s commitment to negotiating in good faith, highlighting the country’s willingness to discuss preventing the acquisition of nuclear weapons. However, he emphasized that Iran will not compromise on its nuclear rights.
The ongoing dispute stems from the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, leading to renewed tensions over Iran’s nuclear activities. Despite differing views between Western countries and Iran on the nature of Iran’s nuclear program, Araqchi reiterated Iran’s position on peaceful nuclear energy use and reiterated readiness to engage in meaningful negotiations based on mutual understanding and respect for Iran’s rights.
