Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Oct 21: Iran has refused to surrender its stockpile of enriched uranium under any potential agreement with the United States, reiterating that negotiations will not take place until Washington fulfils Tehran’s demands.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, conveyed the position during a meeting with Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Tuesday. Rezaei said the enriched uranium was a national asset and would remain within Iran for domestic use.
“Not even a tiny bit of enriched nuclear material will leave Iran. Such materials constitute a major asset and national wealth for the Iranian people, intended for use within the country,” Rezaei said, as quoted by The Times of Israel.
He added that the United States must take steps to rebuild trust, beginning with the fulfilment of Iran’s conditions. Tehran maintained that no negotiations would be held until Washington addressed its demands.
Pakistan has been attempting to mediate between the United States and Iran to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Munir’s visit to Iran on Tuesday was another effort by Islamabad to facilitate negotiations. However, Rezaei’s remarks indicated that significant differences between the two sides remain unresolved.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has reiterated that he would not allow Iran to become a nuclear power. The ongoing conflict, which began on February 28, has placed his administration under increasing pressure to bring hostilities to an end.
Last week, Trump claimed that the war was nearing its conclusion and would end “very quickly”. Speaking in Kentucky on Saturday, he also predicted that fuel prices would fall once the conflict ended.
Trump further claimed that US military action had destroyed Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
However, Tehran’s latest position on its enriched uranium stockpile highlights the challenges facing diplomatic efforts. With Iran refusing to transfer its nuclear material abroad and insisting that its demands be met before talks resume, the prospects for an early resolution to the conflict remain uncertain.