Irresolvable tensions: Iran rejects US uranium deal terms
"We will not sign a nuclear agreement if the authorities of the United States demand that we cease uranium enrichment," declared Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragczi before the next round of negotiations, set to take place on Friday in Rome.
American officials have suggested that uranium enrichment in Iran "must come to a complete end, and if that is their goal, there will be no agreement," Aragczi said in an interview broadcast by state television.
The United States has reiterated in recent days its demand that Iran's nuclear program be subject to a complete ban on uranium enrichment. Washington argues that with such capabilities, Tehran could pursue the creation of nuclear weapons.
The West accuses Tehran of secretly developing the capabilities necessary for the production of nuclear weapons. Tehran denies these claims, asserting that its nuclear program is purely civilian.
Friday's talks in Rome will mark the fifth round of negotiations between Iran and the USA on a potential nuclear agreement. In May, Reuters reported via sources that its provisions could be very similar to the JCPOA agreement reached in 2015 between Iran and world powers.
The USA intensified sanctions against Tehran
U.S. President Donald Trump, during his first presidential term in 2018, withdrew the USA from this agreement, deeming it too lenient toward Iran. Since then, the United States has intensified sanctions against Tehran, which also departed from the agreement by exceeding the 3.67% uranium enrichment limit.
As a result, Iran has recently significantly increased its stockpiles of this fuel at a purity of 60%, which can be relatively quickly enriched to a 90% level, enabling the production of atomic weapons.
