Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran

Tehran, Feb 9: Iran has indicated it may consider diluting its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 per cent, but only if all international sanctions imposed on the country are completely lifted, Iran’s nuclear chief said on Monday.

Mohammad Eslami, President of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, made the remarks while responding to questions from reporters about indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the United States held in Oman last week. According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, Eslami said the issue of dilution was directly linked to sanctions relief.

“This matter depends entirely on whether all sanctions will be lifted in return,” Eslami said, adding that Tehran has not agreed to any unilateral steps.

He also clarified that transferring Iran’s enriched uranium to another country has never been part of Tehran’s official agenda. Such proposals, he said, were floated by third parties or countries seeking to play a mediating role in resolving the nuclear dispute.

Eslami urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to uphold its responsibilities and condemn what he described as Israeli and US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June last year. He maintained that Iran’s nuclear programme operates strictly within legal frameworks and existing safeguards agreements.

Indirect talks between Iranian and US delegations, led by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, took place in Muscat on Friday amid escalating tensions between the two countries. Despite the engagement, officials on both sides have acknowledged that major differences remain.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on the Iranian people to demonstrate unity and resilience ahead of the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In a televised address, Khamenei said national strength depends more on determination and resistance than on military capabilities alone.

“Until the enemy is disappointed, a nation remains vulnerable,” he said, urging citizens to ensure that “the enemy is disappointed.” He described the annual anniversary rallies as a powerful display of national dignity that compels foreign powers to step back from interfering in Iran’s affairs.

Khamenei’s remarks come against the backdrop of heightened friction with Washington, driven by a US military buildup in the Middle East and ongoing threats against Tehran. While indirect nuclear negotiations continue, the prospects of a breakthrough remain uncertain.

The Islamic Revolution of 1979 marked a turning point in Iran’s history, overthrowing the US-backed monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and establishing the Islamic Republic under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Iran and the United States cut diplomatic ties in 1980 following the seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran, a rupture that continues to shape relations between the two countries today.