Iran has firmly rejected nuclear negotiations with the United States if Washington insists that Tehran must stop enriching uranium. Ali Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, made this clear on Monday during a meeting with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran.
Velayati stated, “We have no objection to negotiations that are held without preconditions and that respect the Islamic Republic’s red lines.” However, he emphasized that uranium enrichment remains one of Iran’s non-negotiable rights. He warned, “If talks are conditional on halting enrichment, they simply won’t happen.”
Talks Suspended After Israeli Strikes
Previously, both Washington and Tehran had engaged in several rounds of talks aimed at resolving issues over Iran’s nuclear program. Yet, these discussions were suspended after Israel launched sudden strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities. The offensive lasted 12 days and led to further military involvement from the United States in support of Israel.
Since the ceasefire, both Iran and the US have shown interest in restarting talks. Still, Tehran has repeatedly insisted it will not give up its right to peaceful nuclear energy.
No Date Set for New Negotiations
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei recently clarified that no meeting has yet been scheduled between Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff. He told AFP, “For now, no specific date, time or location has been determined regarding this matter.”
Araghchi and Witkoff had previously participated in five rounds of high-level discussions. Those talks marked the most significant US-Iran contact since America withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018. However, no agreement was reached before the talks were halted following Israeli attacks on June 13.
Iran Accuses Israel of Derailing Diplomacy
Baqaei accused Israel, along with the US, of derailing the peace talks through coordinated military action. He said, “We have been serious in diplomacy and the negotiation process, we entered with good faith, but as everyone witnessed, before the sixth round the Zionist regime, in coordination with the United States, committed military aggression against Iran.”
President Pezeshkian Supports Peaceful Talks
Despite tensions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed support for dialogue. He stated, “We continue to believe that the window for diplomacy remains open, and we will seriously pursue this peaceful path.”
Iran Rejects Nuclear Weapon Allegations
Western countries, along with Israel, have long accused Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons. However, Iran strongly denies these allegations and insists its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes.