DUBAI, May 21 – Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States “will lead nowhere” if Washington insists Tehran halt uranium enrichment altogether, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takhtravanchi said on Monday.
The U.S. special envoy for Iran, Steve Witkoff, reiterated on Sunday that any new deal must include an agreement by Iran to refrain from uranium enrichment, which Washington views as a potential pathway to developing nuclear weapons.
Tehran has long maintained its nuclear program is entirely peaceful. “Our position on enrichment is clear and we have repeatedly stated that it is a national achievement from which we will not back down,” Takhtravanchi told state media. U.S. President Donald Trump, during a recent visit to the Gulf region, said a deal with Iran was very close but urged Tehran to act swiftly to resolve the long-standing dispute.
However, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson accused Washington of complicating negotiations by publicly expressing views that differ from private discussions. “Despite hearing contradictory statements from the Americans, we are still participating in negotiations,” Esmail Baghaei said.
A fifth round of talks is expected to take place in Rome this weekend, pending confirmation, an Iranian official told Reuters.
Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement during his first term in office, describing it as one-sided in Iran’s favor. The U.S. subsequently reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to escalate its uranium enrichment activities
