International Minister Araghchi insists Iran’s nuclear actions are civilian in nature.
Iran has defended its proper to complement uranium, doubling down on a long-held stance as the subsequent spherical of nuclear negotiations with the USA in Oman have been abruptly delayed.
International Minister Abbas Araghchi took to social media on Saturday to declare, “Iran has each proper to own the total nuclear gasoline cycle,” referencing the nation’s membership within the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
He added, “There are a number of NPT members which enrich uranium whereas wholly rejecting nuclear weapons,” underlining Iran’s argument that its nuclear actions are civilian in nature.
“Maximalist positioning and incendiary rhetoric obtain nothing besides eroding the probabilities of success,” added Araghchi, in reference to the US place that Iran should cease all enrichment actions.
In a Thursday interview with Fox Information, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Iran to halt its enrichment efforts, arguing, “the one international locations on the planet that enrich uranium are those which have nuclear weapons.” Nevertheless, international locations like Germany, Japan and Brazil additionally conduct enrichment with out possessing nuclear arsenals.
The feedback come after a fourth spherical of oblique talks between Washington and Tehran, initially scheduled for Saturday, was postponed.
I usually chorus from airing arguments on key negotiation parts by way of the media.
What I’ll say is that repeating falsehoods is not going to change fundamental details. As a founding signatory to the NPT, Iran has each proper to own the total nuclear gasoline cycle. Furthermore, there…
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 2, 2025
Oman, appearing as a mediator, cited “logistical causes” for the delay. A brand new date stays unconfirmed, with one Iranian official telling the Reuters information company it will rely on “the US method”.
The setback follows a brand new wave of US sanctions tied to Iran’s oil gross sales and alleged continued help for Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Tehran responded by accusing Washington of sending “contradictory messages” that undermined diplomacy.
France added to the uncertainty earlier this week when International Minister Jean-Noel Barrot claimed Iran was “on the verge of buying nuclear weapons” – a cost Tehran dismissed as “merely absurd”.
Iran, which insists it doesn’t search a bomb, has persistently maintained its nuclear programme complies with IAEA oversight.
Araghchi reiterated that Iran’s proper to complement was “non-negotiable”, whilst IAEA chief Rafael Grossi recommended on Wednesday that any enriched materials in Iran may very well be both dissolved or exported if a deal have been reached.
The diplomatic impasse comes as international powers weigh whether or not significant progress can nonetheless be achieved on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal brokered by world powers, which collapsed after the US, beneath the primary Donald Trump presidential time period, unilaterally deserted it in 2018.
The 2015 deal, generally known as the Joint Complete Plan of Motion (JCPOA) noticed Iran curtail its nuclear programme in trade for sanctions reduction.