Doha, May 11 (IANS) — Iran will not compromise on its nuclear rights in the ongoing negotiations with the US, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared, just one day before their fourth round of indirect talks in Oman.
At the Fourth Arab-Iranian Dialogue Conference in Doha on Saturday, Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment, according to Xinhua news agency.
“We are not seeking nuclear weapons, and weapons of mass destruction have no place in Iran’s security doctrine,” he emphasized. “For this reason, Iran was among the first to advocate for a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the West Asian region.”
Araghchi reiterated that Iran is engaging in the talks with the US and other parties in good faith. He asserted that if the objective of the negotiations is to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons, a mutually agreeable solution is achievable.
However, he made it clear that if the goal is to deny Iran its nuclear rights or impose unrealistic demands, Iran will not back down on any of these rights.
Iran has consistently stated that its right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable and has rejected demands from some US officials for “zero enrichment.” In contrast, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, insisted on dismantling Iran’s enrichment facilities as part of any future agreement.
Trump, who withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, has warned of military action against Iran if a new deal is not reached to resolve the long-standing nuclear dispute.
Western nations have expressed concerns that Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran accelerated after the US pulled out of the 2015 agreement, is aimed at developing weapons. Iran, however, maintains that its program is for civilian purposes only.
Despite the growing tensions, Araghchi stressed that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, emphasizing their commitment to peaceful nuclear energy. He claimed that an agreement could be reached if the purpose of the talks is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but Iran will never relinquish its rights to nuclear technology.
Witkoff is set to travel to Oman on Sunday for the fourth round of negotiations, after the talks were postponed from May 3 in Rome due to “logistical reasons.”
Ahead of the talks, Araghchi visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Saturday, with US President Trump scheduled to visit these countries from May 13 to 16 during his first major Middle East trip of his second term. Trump is not expected to visit Israel during this trip.
The US President had previously irked Araghchi by suggesting that the US could officially rename the Persian Gulf the “Gulf of Arabia,” which Araghchi condemned as a move with “hostile intent toward Iran and its people.”
The Iranian and US delegations have held three rounds of indirect talks so far: the first and third rounds in Muscat, Oman (April 12 and April 26), and the second in Rome, Italy (April 19).
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