Araghchi: Iran to Respond to Ambiguous US Nuclear Proposal, Enrichment Remains a Red Line

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Tehran will issue a formal response in the coming days to a recent US nuclear proposal, which he described as containing “many ambiguities.”

His remarks came during a book signing event in Beirut, where he addressed the stalled nuclear negotiations.

Araghchi emphasized that Iran’s right to enrich uranium remains a firm red line, rejecting any conditions aimed at curbing this capability. “We will provide an appropriate and considered response in the coming days, based on our principled positions and with the interests of the Iranian people in mind,” he said.

He reiterated that uranium enrichment is a sovereign right and source of national pride, stating, “Continuing enrichment on Iranian soil is our red line. This is a scientific achievement attained by Iranian scientists—not something imported or easily negotiable.”

He also highlighted the sacrifices made by Iran over the past two decades in pursuit of nuclear independence, including enduring prolonged US sanctions and the assassination of several nuclear scientists.

“Some of our nuclear scientists were assassinated by foreign agents and became martyrs. The blood of these scientists has been shed for this enrichment industry,” Araghchi noted, referring to targeted killings carried out by the “Israeli” entity in the early 2010s.

Araghchi pointed out the practical importance of Iran’s enrichment program, stating that over one million Iranians rely on medical isotopes produced by the Tehran research reactor. “This is not just about politics. It is a matter of national health and necessity.”

Still, he expressed Iran’s willingness to take steps to assure the international community that its nuclear program is peaceful. “We are ready to build confidence that this enrichment does not lead to the production of nuclear weapons,” he added.

Since April, Iran and the US have conducted five rounds of indirect talks mediated by Oman. The discussions aim to revive or replace the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], which capped Iran’s uranium enrichment at 3.6 percent.

The JCPOA unraveled after the US withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reinstated sweeping sanctions. Iran initially adhered to the agreement but began rolling back its commitments a year later in response.

Senior US officials, including regional envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have continued to push for Iran to accept a “zero-level” enrichment condition—an outcome Iran firmly rejects.