Following days of unpopular positions expressed by Tehran and Washington regarding Iranian uranium enrichment, Wednesday’s confirmation that the nuclear negotiations would continue.
Iranian officials have argued that Iran should stop enriching uranium altogether, a position Tehran has called a nonstarter, and that it should also be done.
The uranium atom is altered to produce nuclear fuel during enrichment.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, added on Tuesday that the US does not require enrichment of uranium.
He was quoted by the Mehr News Agency as saying, “We will not allow Iran to enrich uranium.”
This Friday, May 23rd, Rome will host the fifth round of Iran-US discussions.
His statement came in response to Steve Witkoff, the US’s lead negotiator, who called uranium enrichment a “red line” and said Washington “cannot allow even 1% of an enrichment capability.”
Numerous Iranian and US officials have reiterated their respective nations’ positions.
Iran can use nuclear reactors to produce energy by importing already-enriched uranium, according to Washington, who claims Tehran’s domestic production poses a threat of nuclear weapons.
Iran claims that it has the right to enrich uranium for use in civilian applications despite its opposition to nuclear weapons.
It is widely believed that Israel, the main US ally in the Middle East, has an unproven nuclear arsenal.
If Iran and the two countries don’t reach a deal, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force, saying he won’t let Tehran get a nuclear weapon.
Trump resisted the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which demanded that Iran reduce its nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions against its economy, during his first term, in 2018.
The US has since imposed sanctions on Iran’s economy.
Trump’s “maximum pressure” program against Iran was largely funded by economic sanctions after winning a second term there in January. For instance, he has pledged to stop China from importing oil, particularly from the country.
Iran has resisted Trump’s threats, promising to defend itself from any attack.
It is unclear how the two countries will resolve their differences over Tehran’s enrichment program, but tensions started to ease in April as the US and Iran began to hold talks through Oman.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the suggestion on Sunday that the US position has been changing, stating that “there is no scenario” where Iran will stop enriching.
Source: Aljazeera
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