PARIS: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday reiterated that Tehran will never give up uranium enrichment in its negotiations with Washington, insisting that the country will not be intimidated by the threat of war from the United States.
Speaking at a forum in Tehran, Araghchi said that Iran had little trust in Washington and doubted the US side was taking renewed negotiations seriously, according to AFP.
“Why do we insist so much on enrichment and refuse to give it up, even if a war is imposed on us? Because no one has the right to dictate our behaviour,” he said.
“Their military deployment in the region does not scare us,” Araghchi added, referring to the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.
The United States and Iran reopened negotiations on Friday in Oman for the first time in years. Iran is seeking relief from US economic sanctions in exchange for what Araghchi described as “a series of confidence-building measures concerning the nuclear programme.”
Western countries and Israel, considered the Middle East’s only nuclear-armed state, claim Iran is seeking to develop a nuclear bomb — a charge the Islamic Republic denies.
“They fear our atomic bomb, while we are not looking for one. Our atomic bomb is the power to say ‘no’ to the great powers,” Araghchi said.
‘Peace through strength’
Araghchi’s remarks followed a visit on Saturday by US lead negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to the aircraft carrier, signaling the persistent threat of US military action against Iran.
CENTCOM confirmed the visit of the two top officials to the nuclear-powered vessel. In a social media post, Witkoff said the carrier and its strike group were “keeping us safe and upholding President Trump’s message of peace through strength.”
The threat of war continues to hover over the negotiations, even as Trump described the talks as “very good” and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on social media that the discussions “constitute a step forward.”
Following Friday’s first round in Oman, Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on countries still doing business with Iran despite US sanctions. The United States also announced new sanctions targeting numerous shipping entities and vessels to curb Iran’s oil exports.
At the Tehran forum on Sunday, Araghchi questioned Washington’s commitment to genuine talks.
“The continuation of certain sanctions and military actions raise doubts about the seriousness and readiness of the other side to conduct genuine negotiations,” he said.
“We are monitoring the situation closely, assessing all the signals, and will decide on the continuation of the negotiations.”
Protests toll
The talks come amid a major US military buildup in the region, following Iran’s crackdown on protests that began in late December, driven by economic grievances.
Iranian authorities have acknowledged 3,117 deaths during the recent unrest, publishing a list of 2,986 names, most of whom they say were members of the security forces and innocent bystanders. International organisations have reported a far higher toll.
