Iran Signals Willingness to Temporarily Limit Uranium Enrichment in Bid to Ease Tensions
Deputy FM Majid Takht-Ravanchi stated that Tehran could consider "a series of restrictions on the level and volume of enrichment" for a limited time, though he emphasized that the current discussions with Washington have not yet addressed these specifics.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iran is open to accepting temporary restrictions on its uranium enrichment program, a senior Iranian official said Tuesday, marking a cautious shift in tone as high-level negotiations with the United States continue, according to AFP.
Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi stated that Tehran could consider "a series of restrictions on the level and volume of enrichment" for a limited time, though he emphasized that the current discussions with Washington have not yet addressed these specifics.
“We have not yet gone into details about the level and volume of enrichment,” Ravanchi told Tasnim news agency, signaling that the diplomatic process remains in early stages.
The remarks come two days after Iran and the United States held their fourth round of nuclear talks — the highest-level engagement since Washington’s 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement. The talks, which began last month, have been described by Iranian officials as “difficult but useful,” while U.S. negotiators expressed cautious optimism, calling the discussions “encouraging.”
Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent purity, a level significantly beyond the 3.67 percent cap set by the original deal, but still below the 90 percent threshold required for weapons-grade material. This has been a point of contention for the U.S., with Secretary of State Marco Rubio noting Monday that “Iran is the only country in the world without nuclear weapons that enriches uranium to that level.”
While Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, both sides remain entrenched on core issues. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has asserted that the country’s right to enrich uranium is "non-negotiable,” echoing sentiments from Iran’s Supreme Leader, under whose close supervision the negotiations are being conducted. U.S. chief negotiator Steve Witkoff has described Iran’s uranium enrichment as a “red line.”
President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Tuesday that the talks are taking place in “full coordination” with Iran’s highest authorities, emphasizing that Tehran will “not retreat from our principles” while seeking to avoid further escalation.
The diplomatic progress comes amid continued U.S. sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear and oil sectors. Washington announced a fresh wave of sanctions on Monday, underscoring the ongoing “maximum pressure” strategy revived by President Donald Trump since his return to office earlier this year.
“There is no doubt that there is a lot of pressure on us,” said Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, acknowledging the toll of economic sanctions while stressing that “not all of Iran’s problems are due to the sanctions.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s atomic energy chief, Mohammad Eslami, described the nation’s nuclear capabilities as a source of “wealth and strength,” reinforcing Iran’s determination to maintain its nuclear infrastructure regardless of international scrutiny.
Despite the stark challenges, both Tehran and Washington have confirmed plans to continue the negotiations in the coming weeks, keeping a fragile diplomatic window open for potential compromise.
