Iran's enrichment program will continue with or without a deal with the United States, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday, ahead of the fifth round of talks.
In a statement posted on X, the lead Iranian nuclear negotiator said that if the US wants to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons, "a deal is within reach," referring to ongoing indirect nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman.
"We are ready for a serious conversation to achieve a solution that will forever ensure that outcome. Enrichment in Iran, however, will continue with or without a deal," he stated.
Araghchi's statement came just hours after Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy for West Asia, who is leading the American side in negotiations with Iran, said any deal between the two sides "must include an agreement not to enrich uranium."
"We have one very, very clear red line, and that is enrichment. We cannot allow even one percent of an enrichment capability," Witkoff said in an interview with ABC.
In response, Araghchi said Iran's stance on its "rights as an NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) member is crystal clear," adding that Iran will not allow "deviance from that."
"Mastering enrichment technology is a hard-earned and homegrown scientific achievement, an outcome of great sacrifice of both blood and treasure," he noted, referring to the country's nuclear enrichment.
Taking a swipe at his American counterpart, Iran's foreign minister said US interlocutors can publicly state "whatever they deem fit to ward off special interest groups and malign actors, which set the agenda of at least previous administrations."
"Iran can only control what we Iranians do, and that is to avoid negotiating in public—particularly given the current dissonance we are seeing between what our US interlocutors say in public and in private, and from one week to the other."
Earlier in the day, Araghchi said the fifth round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US is expected to take place soon.
Following a meeting with his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, on the sidelines of the Tehran Dialogue Forum in the Iranian capital, he said the time and venue of the talks would be officially announced by Oman.
The most recent round of talks was held in Muscat on Sunday, where the two sides reportedly addressed contentious issues, according to Iran's Foreign Ministry.
As diplomatic engagement between the two countries continues under Omani mediation, disagreements over uranium enrichment remain a key sticking point.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin negotiations to reach a ceasefire and end the war.
Rescuers in Indonesia have had to stop searching for 14 gold miners missing after a landslide killed six people at a remote mine in Papua province.
On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the UAE’s Tawazun Council signed a deal to strengthen defense cooperation and develop new technologies.
India’s space agency, ISRO, has reported a failure in launching its EOS-9 surveillance satellite into the planned orbit after a technical problem during the rocket’s flight.
President Donald Trump said the war in Ukraine should have remained a European matter and that the United States should not have gotten involved.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin negotiations to reach a ceasefire and end the war.
Rescuers in Indonesia have had to stop searching for 14 gold miners missing after a landslide killed six people at a remote mine in Papua province.
On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the UAE’s Tawazun Council signed a deal to strengthen defense cooperation and develop new technologies.
India’s space agency, ISRO, has reported a failure in launching its EOS-9 surveillance satellite into the planned orbit after a technical problem during the rocket’s flight.
President Donald Trump said the war in Ukraine should have remained a European matter and that the United States should not have gotten involved.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet behind closed doors at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace at 10:00 local time today to explore security guarantees, territorial integrity and a possible ceasefire.
EU approves 17th Russia sanctions, blacklisting almost 200 shadow‑fleet ships, 30 evasion firms and 75 defence figures, banning missile chemicals and arming Brussels to strike Kremlin hybrid and operations.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed President Donald Trump's administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for around 350,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S. Trump has also aimed to end TPS protections for Haitians, Afghans, and others.
The U.S. Supreme Court has granted a request from the Trump administration to lift protections under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for approximately 350,000 Venezuelans, potentially opening the door to future deportations while litigation continues.
In Malaysia, rivers are under threat from invasive fish species that have spread widely, harming native wildlife and local ecosystems.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin negotiations to reach a ceasefire and end the war.
Rescuers in Indonesia have had to stop searching for 14 gold miners missing after a landslide killed six people at a remote mine in Papua province.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin negotiations to reach a ceasefire and end the war.
Rescuers in Indonesia have had to stop searching for 14 gold miners missing after a landslide killed six people at a remote mine in Papua province.
On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the UAE’s Tawazun Council signed a deal to strengthen defense cooperation and develop new technologies.
India’s space agency, ISRO, has reported a failure in launching its EOS-9 surveillance satellite into the planned orbit after a technical problem during the rocket’s flight.
President Donald Trump said the war in Ukraine should have remained a European matter and that the United States should not have gotten involved.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment