Iran has rejected a U.S. demand to halt uranium enrichment ahead of a new round of nuclear talks set for Saturday in Oman. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran must stop all enrichment and import only low-level uranium for civilian use.
“Zero enrichment is unacceptable,” a senior Iranian official close to the negotiating team said Wednesday.
The talks come as Iran accelerates enrichment to 60% purity, nearing weapons-grade levels, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“There’s a pathway to a civil, peaceful nuclear program if they want one,” Rubio told the “Honestly with Bari Weiss” podcast.
“But if they insist on enriching, then they’ll be the only country in the world without a weapons program doing so. That’s problematic.”
President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed a maximum pressure campaign on Tehran, combining sweeping sanctions with warnings of potential military action.
Iran maintains its program is peaceful and denies any pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Last week, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff initially said Iran didn’t need to enrich beyond 3.67%, then clarified that all enrichment must stop and be eliminated.
Rubio echoed that on Tuesday, saying Iran could import enriched material like other countries with peaceful nuclear programs.
Western officials argue there is no civilian justification for 60% enrichment.
Only states that have built weapons have enriched to that level.
The outcome of Saturday’s talks remains uncertain. Both sides are holding firm.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed U.S. tariffs and the Mercosur-EU trade deal in a phone call, aiming t...
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has said that Russia is provoking NATO countries again....
Walt Disney’s (DIS.N) ESPN will make its full line-up of sports coverage available outside of pay television for the first time on Thursday, with th...
A study published in Nature on Thursday highlights that the rapid decline of Antarctic sea ice may represent a crucial tipping point for the global cl...
Pop Mart has posted stunning interim results for the first half of 2025, riding on the explosive popularity of its breakout character Labubu....
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has said that Russia is provoking NATO countries again.
Walt Disney’s (DIS.N) ESPN will make its full line-up of sports coverage available outside of pay television for the first time on Thursday, with the launch of a new app designed as a central hub for live matches, personalised news, statistics and highlights.
On August 19, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Jared Cohen, President of Global Affairs at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Valentino has named luxury industry veteran Riccardo Bellini as its new chief executive, marking a major leadership shift as the fashion house navigates a challenging global market.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
Honduras has brought back mask mandates as COVID-19 cases and a new variant surge nationwide.
Kuwait says oil prices will likely stay below $72 per barrel as OPEC monitors global supply trends and U.S. policy signals. The remarks come during market uncertainty fueled by new U.S. tariffs on India and possible sanctions on Russia.
On August 19, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Jared Cohen, President of Global Affairs at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday that his country cannot “completely cut our cooperation with the agency”, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), even after parliament passed legislation suspending future inspections without security council approval.
Syria and Israel aim to boost stability in southern Syria and the broader region according to reports.
Kazakhstan is accelerating efforts to overhaul its railway infrastructure in a bid to enhance efficiency and reinforce its role as a crucial Eurasian transit corridor, the government announced on Tuesday.
Speaking after Monday’s Washington summit, European Council President Antonio Costa has stressed that Ukraine’s EU membership process must move forward, while also calling for Europe’s direct involvement in future peace talks alongside Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment