Iran to Continue Uranium Enrichment With or Without Nuclear Deal: FM Araghchi
“Iran is ready, should it observe genuine will and an independent approach from the European parties, to begin a new chapter in its relations with Europe,” he said.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iran will continue enriching uranium regardless of the outcome of negotiations with world powers over its nuclear program, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday, according to the AFP.
“If the US is interested in ensuring that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, a deal is within reach, and we are ready for a serious conversation to achieve a solution that will forever ensure that outcome,” Araghchi posted on X.
“Enrichment in Iran, however, will continue with or without a deal,” he added.
In addressing the talks regarding Iran's peaceful nuclear program, our U.S. interlocutors are naturally free to publicly state whatever they deem fit to ward off Special Interest groups; malign actors which set the agendas of at least previous Administrations.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 18, 2025
Iran can only…
Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60% purity, well beyond the 3.67% limit set by the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but still below the 90% level required for weapons-grade material. Tehran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and solely for civilian use.
Araghchi reiterated that Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes is “non-negotiable,” though Tehran remains open to temporary limits on the quantity and level of enrichment.
On Wednesday, Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, reiterated that Iran “does not seek nuclear militarisation,” emphasizing that the country’s nuclear activities are under the supervision of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“The dismantling of enrichment is not accepted by Iran,” Eslami said.
Rebuilding Trust with Europe
Speaking at a diplomatic forum in Tehran, Araghchi also expressed Iran’s willingness to restore trust with European signatories of the JCPOA, amid growing pressure over potential reimposition of UN sanctions.
“Iran is ready, should it observe genuine will and an independent approach from the European parties, to begin a new chapter in its relations with Europe,” he said.
“If Europe possesses the necessary will to rectify this path, Iran sees no obstacle to rebuilding mutual trust and expanding relations.”
On Friday, Iranian diplomats held talks with representatives from Britain, France, and Germany on the status of the stalled US-Iran nuclear negotiations.
Looming ‘Snapback’ Sanctions
The three European powers are currently weighing whether to invoke the “snapback” mechanism, which would automatically reinstate UN sanctions on Iran due to its non-compliance with the JCPOA. The option expires in October.
Araghchi has previously warned of “irreversible” consequences should the European states trigger the mechanism. He has also proposed visiting London, Paris, and Berlin to discuss both the nuclear file and broader regional issues.
In his Sunday remarks, Araghchi urged Europe to focus on common interests and assume a greater role in facilitating negotiations.
“We want Europe to play its role, even if it has minimized its own role,” he said, as quoted by Iran’s IRNA news agency.
Oman-Mediated Talks Ongoing
Iran and the United States have held four rounds of indirect talks, mediated by Oman, in efforts to revive or replace the 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by US President Donald Trump in 2018. The US withdrawal and reimposition of sanctions prompted Iran to gradually reduce its compliance with the agreement.
On the sidelines of the forum, Araghchi held discussions with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. According to Oman’s foreign ministry, the talks focused on “ways of reaching the desired agreement between the United States and Iran.”
The proposed deal would aim to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons — an intention Tehran has consistently denied — in exchange for lifting punitive economic sanctions.