TEHRAN, Iran: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that negotiations with the United States over the country’s nuclear programme are unlikely to produce any meaningful results.
“We don’t think it will lead to any outcome. We don’t know what will happen,” said Khamenei during a speech, adding that denying Iran’s right to enrich uranium was “a big mistake”.
Tehran and Washington have held four rounds of Omani-mediated nuclear talks since April 12, the highest-level contact between the two countries since the United States abandoned the 2015 nuclear accord.
A fifth round is expected to be held in the coming days, with its date and venue to be announced later.
Iran has repeatedly insisted its right to maintain uranium enrichment was “non-negotiable”. US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, speaking to US-based ABC News, said, “We have one very, very clear red line, and that is enrichment. We cannot allow Iran to have even 1 percent of an enrichment capability.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has also reiterated that Iran’s right to use peaceful nuclear energy could not be disregarded.
“If the other side demonstrates real determination and respects Iran’s legitimate rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, we are ready to form a win-win interaction in return for the lifting of (US) sanctions,” Araghchi said.
Maximum pressure
Iranian diplomats have indicated that Tehran may be open to temporary limits on both the amount and level of uranium it enriches, as part of ongoing nuclear negotiations.
Since returning to the office in January, US President Donald Trump has reinstated his “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran.
While expressing support for nuclear diplomacy, he has also warned of potential military action if talks fail to yield results.
In recent days, Trump cautioned that “something bad is going to happen” unless Iran moves quickly” toward a deal.
Earlier, he had suggested that the United States was “getting close” to reaching an agreement with Iran that could help prevent military confrontation.
