"Hands Off Our Enrichment!" Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Stands Firm on Iran's Uranium Enrichment
Iran's supreme leader, Khamenei, maintains no acknowledgement of American participation in uranium enrichment processes.
Connect, Share, Whisper, Message, Mail, Print, Link (Iran's top spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has made it clear that he won't tolerate any interference from the United States regarding Iran's uranium enrichment.)
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the spiritual leader of Iran, recently declared his disapproval of any role for the U.S. in Tehran's uranium enrichment activities. During a speech broadcast on state television, Khamenei questioned America's motive, asking, "Why do you meddle with the question of whether Iran should enrich uranium or not?" [ntv.de, AFP]
Iran is adamant about maintaining its independence, Khamenei stressed, stating, "We do not await the green light from the U.S." [ntv.de, AFP]
In a ceremony marking the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, Khamenei expressed that the U.S. proposal for resolving the nuclear dispute between Washington and Tehran goes against Iran's national interests. He emphasized that the U.S. proposal is a direct contravention of the slogan "We can," a phrase that harks back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. [ntv.de, AFP]
Iran and the U.S. recently reconvened for discussions concerning a potential new nuclear deal, yet, as of mid-April, the previous five rounds of talks have not produced any results. The central concern in these talks revolves around uranium enrichment. On the weekend, the U.S. sent a proposal for the negotiations to Iran via Oman. [ntv.de, AFP]
A report from the news portal Axios suggests that the most recent U.S. proposal allows Iran to engage in limited, low-level uranium enrichment for purposes such as nuclear medicine and commercial power. However, President Donald Trump previously asserted that the U.S. would never consent to any uranium enrichment in a possible nuclear deal. [ntv.de, AFP]
As a consequence of these developments, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Tuesday that Iran will not accept a nuclear deal that impedes its ability to enrich uranium for civilian purposes. "The continued enrichment on Iranian soil is our red line," Araghchi stated. [ntv.de, AFP]
The United States and Iran have distinct positions regarding uranium enrichment in a potential nuclear deal. The U.S. proposes a deal that allows Iran to have low levels of uranium enrichment for civilian applications, such as in nuclear medicine and commercial power, but with substantial limitations. This includes maintaining enrichment at 3% in above-ground facilities and decommissioning underground sites for a set period. However, this proposal raises concerns among allies, such as Israel, as U.S. officials have publicly maintained that Iran must not enrich uranium at all. The U.S. also proposed the creation of a regional uranium enrichment consortium as part of the deal, a concept that Iran is pressing for further clarification regarding. [Data]
On the other hand, Iran endeavors to retain its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and rejects proposals that restrict enrichment outright. Iran has advocated for a nuclear consortium involving states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, under which Iran would be responsible for uranium enrichment. [Data] Khamenei has concretely rejected the U.S. proposal and expressed his intention to continue enriching uranium, while seeking clarity on the consortia concept. [Data]
In summary, both countries have considerable differences in their perspectives, with Iran determined to maintain its enrichment capabilities, and the U.S. urging limitations and international oversight.
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's chief spiritual leader, defiantly asserted his right to speak on Iran's uranium enrichment policy-and-legislation, challenging the USA's stance during a recent broadcast.
- In the midst of ongoing political discussions regarding uranium enrichment, General News reports indicate that Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has insisted on maintaining Iran's ability to enrich uranium for civilian purposes, defying the USA's proposal on the matter.
