On 26th May, Iran rejected the prospect of halting its nuclear enrichment program as part of a possible nuclear deal with the United States. The current round of negotiations was described as “very good” by President Donald Trump. However, Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran, asserted that Tehran can endure even if talks with the western power fail.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated, “Enrichment is an inseparable part of Iran’s nuclear industry and must be maintained. We are in no way permitted to show even the slightest flexibility on this issue.” He refuted rumors that Iran could halt enrichment for three years in order to reach an agreement.
“Iran will never accept that. This information is a figment of the imagination and totally false. If there is goodwill from the American side, we are also optimistic, but if negotiations are aimed at curbing Iran’s rights, then talks will get nowhere,” he highlighted.
He stated that a sixth round of negotiations with Washington had not yet been scheduled. Baghaei’s comments follow Trump’s statement that recent negotiations with Iran had made “real progress” and that “some good news” might be on the horizon.
The discussions facilitated by Oman represent the most significant engagement between the two countries since the United States, under Trump’s initial term, withdrew from the pivotal 2015 nuclear agreement. Upon his return to the presidency, he has revitalized the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and has alerted Tehran to the possibility of military action if diplomatic negotiations fail.
Pezeshkian rejected Trump’s threats regarding debilitating sanctions. He stressed, “It’s not like we will die of hunger if they refuse to negotiate with us or impose sanctions. We will find a way to survive.” Tehran has been careful to keep a firm stance during the negotiations, keeping in mind domestic politics.
The sentiment expressed by Tehran after the latest negotiations differed significantly from the image conveyed in Washington. Trump stated on 25th May that the talks had been “very, very good” and that he would make a statement “over the next two days.” He alleged,”Very importantly, we had some very good talks with Iran yesterday and today, and let’s see what happens. But I think we could have some good news on the Iran front. We’ve had some real progress, serious progress.”
Trump declared that he hopes the diplomatic channels work, referring to his March warnings that there would be “bombing like they have never seen before” if a deal was not reached within a two-month window. “I’d love that to happen because I’d love to see no bombs dropped and a lot of people dead. I really would like to see that happen,” he further insisted.
Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, also mentioned a “sign of progress” following the fifth round of negotiations. The optimism contributed to the generation of media reports suggesting that a provisional agreement was under consideration as a preliminary step towards a final deal. However, Baghaei disregarded the likelihood of a temporary agreement.
Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been the subject of decades-long negotiations between Washington and Tehran and both countries have publicly taken an aggressive position on the matter of the Islamic Republic’s uranium enrichment. Trump seeks to limit Tehran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon that could endanger Israel and start a regional nuclear arms race.
Iran, for its part, attempts to lift the crippling sanctions on its oil-based economy and insists that its nuclear program is only for civilian use. Last week, Iranian and American delegates concluded their fifth round of negotiations in Rome. Although there were few encouraging indications of some progress, there are still numerous issues that are difficult to resolve, most notably Iran’s nuclear enrichment.
