"Hands Off!" - Iran's Supreme Leader Chamenei Denies US Control Over Uranium Enrichment
Iranian leader Khamenei perceives no American involvement in the process of uranium enrichment.
Want to weigh in on Iran's uranium enrichment? Not a chance, says Ayatollah Ali Chamenei, Iran's top leader. In a fiery speech aired on state television, Chamenei laid down the law: "Don't you dare stick your nose in the matter of whether Iran should enrich or not!" he said, slamming the US. For Iran, independence means standing tall without the US's consent.
Chamenei branded the US proposal for a resolution to the nuclear feud between Washington and Tehran a flop, asserting it clashes with Iran's national interests. In his telling, the US proposal is a flat-out "no" to the revolutionary slogan "We can," reflecting the spirit of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
April saw a revival of dialogue between the US and Iran on a potential new nuclear accord. Despite the initial five rounds ending in a stalemate, recent discussions are ongoing, with satellites buzzing over the enrichment issue. The latest US proposal, delivered via Oman, reportedly permits a measure of uranium enrichment at low levels, despite earlier insistence from President Trump that zero enrichment would be the dealbreaker.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtchi is drawing a clear line in the sand. "We won't bend on uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes," he asserted.
Sources: ntv.de, AFP
Enrichment data insights:
- US Stance: The US regularly expresses its opposition to uranium enrichment by Iran, emphasizing the necessity of Iran's nuclear facilities being dismantled. However, recent US proposals now permit limited enrichment for civilian purposes such as nuclear medicine and commercial energy, as long as underground enrichment facilities are shut down and enrichment levels are capped at 3% for nuclear reactor fuel.
- Iran Stance: Iran firmly stands by its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes and has outright rejected any deal that bans enrichment entirely. Iran is open to the idea of a regional uranium enrichment consortium, but only if it's located within its borders, suggesting a willingness to negotiate with conditions.
- Negotiation Challenges: Agreement on the levels and conditions of enrichment is proving to be the main hurdle. Iran desires some residual enrichment capacity to prevent nuclear weapon development, while the US is pushing for stricter limits. Sanction relief remains a contentious issue, with Iran seeking specifics on when and how sanctions would be lifted under any accord.
- Despite the USA's continual opposition to Iran's uranium enrichment, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, firmly asserts that Iran has the right to speak for itself on the matter, denying any US control.
- The ongoing negotiations between the USA and Iran reveal a significant policy-and-legislation and politics issue, with Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghtchi, drawing a firm line by refusing to compromise on uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes.
