TEHRAN: Iran on Monday called on the United States to provide firm guarantees that it will lift sanctions as part of any renewed nuclear agreement, following reports that Washington had submitted a proposal deemed “acceptable” in ongoing negotiations.
The demand comes as indirect talks between Iran and the U.S., aimed at reviving a nuclear accord, continue with mediation from Oman. The talks have gained urgency after a leaked UN report claimed that Iran had increased its production of highly enriched uranium — an allegation Tehran strongly denies.
Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, was scheduled to meet with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Cairo on Monday, just a day after the UN report surfaced.
Reacting to the development, Iran warned of consequences if European nations use the leaked report to justify reimposing nuclear-related sanctions.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, speaking at a press conference in Tehran, said: “We demand a clear guarantee that sanctions will be effectively lifted… So far, the American side has failed to offer such assurances.”
Baqaei also criticized the UN report, alleging it was politically motivated and influenced by European pressure on the IAEA. “If they seek to manipulate this report for political purposes, they should be ready for a proportionate Iranian response,” he warned.
Negotiations between Tehran and Washington have gone through five rounds since April, seeking to revive a version of the 2015 nuclear deal, which former U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally abandoned in 2018.
Iran maintains that without a firm guarantee of sanctions relief and non-repetition of past breaches, it will not commit to any new agreement.
