Iran not to dismantle uranium enrichment facilities: Foreign Minister

Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has stressed that none of the country’s uranium enrichment facilities would be dismantled, media reported.

He made the remarks on Thursday during a visit to the 36th Tehran International Book Fair in the Iranian capital, where he elaborated on Iran’s positions in the ongoing Oman-mediated indirect nuclear talks with the US.

“We may be building trust and offering transparency regarding the nuclear issue, but we will not forgo our (uranium) enrichment. None of our enrichment facilities will be dismantled, and this is our principled position,” Araghchi said.

He stressed that in addition to upholding its nuclear rights, Iran sought sanctions relief through indirect negotiations with the US, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We are ready to build trust and offer transparency to the other side in return for the sanctions’ removal,” the Minister said.

Araghchi underscored that defending the Iranian people’s nuclear rights, including uranium enrichment, was among the country’s principles and fundamental positions in the negotiations.

His remarks came as Iranian and US delegations on Sunday held the fourth round of indirect talks on Tehran’s nuclear program and the removal of Washington’s sanctions in the Omani capital Muscat.

“I think we’re getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this,” Trump said, referring to military action against Iran.

He made the comments on Thursday in Qatar, the second leg of his Gulf tour.

“You probably read the story that Iran has sort of agreed to the terms,” he said.

Trump has repeatedly said Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

While Iran has always denied that it is seeking to do so, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, said that it has enriched enough uranium close to weapons-grade quality to make six nuclear bombs.

The US and Iran have been holding talks over Tehran’s nuclear program for weeks, with Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, calling the last round in Muscat, the capital of Oman, “encouraging”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi, meanwhile, called the negotiations “difficult but useful”.

“Enrichment is an issue that Iran will not give up, and there is no room for compromise on it,” he said.

“However, its dimensions, levels or amounts might change for a period to allow confidence-building.”

IANS