Iran has firmly rejected U.S. demands to halt its uranium enrichment activities, declaring the issue non-negotiable just days before the second round of nuclear discussions is set to take place in Oman.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissed a recent statement from U.S. lead negotiator Steve Witkoff, who had insisted that Tehran must cease all nuclear enrichment in order to reach an agreement with Washington.
“We’ve heard inconsistent remarks from Witkoff, but the actual stances will become clear at the negotiating table,” Araqchi said. “We are willing to build confidence on concerns related to enrichment, but the right to enrich uranium is not up for negotiation.”
The next round of talks is scheduled for Saturday in Oman, amid heightened tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that military options remain on the table if diplomacy fails.
In preparation for the talks, Araqchi will visit Moscow to personally deliver a message from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Iranian media sources.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has declined to comment on the possibility of Russia taking custody of Iran’s enriched uranium as part of a future agreement.
Reports also indicate that Tehran is likely to reject a U.S.-backed proposal to transfer its uranium stockpile to a third country, such as Russia, as a condition to limit its nuclear activities.
