WASHINGTON, United States: US Vice President JD Vance stated on Wednesday that negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program are moving in the right direction.
He emphasised that while Tehran can have civilian nuclear power, it should not be allowed enrichment capabilities that could lead to the development of nuclear weapons.
“We’re on the right pathway,” Vance told the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington.
“We don’t care if people want nuclear power. We’re fine with that, but you can’t have the kind of enrichment program that allows you to get to a nuclear weapon, and that’s where we draw the line,” he said.
Asked later Wednesday if Iran can maintain an enrichment program as long as it does not lead to a weapon, US President Donald Trump said that remained an open question.
“We haven’t made that decision yet. We will, but we haven’t made that decision yet,” Trump said at the White House.
Iran on Friday said the new round of sanctions imposed by the US on its trade partners will not change its policy.
“The continuation of these illegal behaviours will not change Iran’s logical, legitimate and international law-based positions,” a foreign ministry statement said, condemning what it called “pressure on Iran’s trade and economic partners”.
Iran and the US teams were scheduled to meet for a fourth round of talks on Saturday in Rome, after the two sides reported progress in previous rounds.
The Iran-US talks mediated by Oman, which began on April 12, have been the highest-level contact in years since US President Donald Trump abandoned a nuclear accord with world powers in 2018.
Since returning to the office, Trump has revived his “maximum pressure” approach against Tehran.
In March, he wrote to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proposing talks but warning of potential military action if diplomacy failed.
Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons — an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its programme is for peaceful civilian purposes.
