Iran steadfast on uranium enrichment despite US talks
Iran will not halt its uranium enrichment, stated the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry. According to authorities in Tehran, it is an "inseparable part of Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program and the nuclear industry, and it must absolutely be preserved."
Iran will not agree to a temporary pause in uranium enrichment to secure a nuclear agreement with the United States, announced the Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, at a press conference on Monday.
Enrichment is an inseparable part of Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program and the nuclear industry, and it must absolutely be preserved, the spokesperson stated, as quoted by the Mehrnews portal.
He added that the date and location for the next round of indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States have not yet been determined.
"Some progress"
The fifth round of US-Iran talks on Tehran's nuclear program, which took place on Friday in Rome, ended with "some but not conclusive progress," stated Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who is mediating the negotiations.
The United States authorities reiterated in recent days their demand for the Iranian nuclear program to be subject to a complete ban on uranium enrichment. Washington argues that with such capabilities, Tehran may work towards developing nuclear weapons.
The West accuses Iran of secretly developing the capabilities necessary for producing nuclear weapons. Tehran denies these accusations, insisting that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes.
