None of Iran’s nuclear facilities will be dismantled: FM
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stressed that none of the country’s nuclear facilities will be dismantled, amid indirect talks with the United States over the Islamic Republic’s peaceful nuclear program.
Araghchi firmly underscored the nation’s unwavering stance on its right to enrich uranium during a visit to the 36th Tehran International Book Fair as he addressed a forum at the Foreign Ministry booth on Thursday.
“Defending the rights of the Iranian people in the nuclear field, including [uranium] enrichment, is one of these principles and rights of the people that we will not compromise on, neither in the media nor at the negotiation table. This is the right of the Iranian people, and no one can deny it,” Araghchi told reporters.
He reiterated that Tehran is ready to “build trust and offer transparency” regarding its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of anti-Iran sanctions.
“We may clarify this process, but none of the nuclear facilities will be dismantled.”
The minister expressed Tehran’s readiness to continue the talks, as long as the other side “is prepared to reach an agreement that recognizes our rights”.
He noted that the two sides are yet to reach a framework of understanding. “If we reach a framework of understanding and agreement, other issues will also be raised, but we have not yet reached that point.”
Meanwhile, Araghchi dismissed reports that say the US gave Iran a written proposal for a nuclear deal during the latest round of talks between the two countries.
“During the talks, ideas were presented to the other side in written form, but we haven’t received any ideas in written form until now.”
Iran has held four rounds of indirect talks with the administration of US President Donald Trump on a replacement for the 2015 deal, which have been generally described as positive by the two sides.
In 2018, Trump walked out of a landmark agreement between Iran and several other countries that gave it sanctions relief in return for confidence-building restrictions on its nuclear activities.
Iran now wants guarantees that the US will remove all the sanctions and won’t again unilaterally derail the new deal.
