Iran International
Tehran’s response to Washington’s proposal to halt uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief has been marked by deep distrust and combative rhetoric—but not a complete break from diplomacy.
The proposal has yet to be revealed officially, but it is said to include a halt-for-sanctions-relief clause and an enrichment consortium involving the United States and some of Iran’s Arab neighbors.
“Why do you interfere in whether Iran enriches uranium or not—what business is it of yours?” Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday, dismissing US objections to domestic enrichment by Iran.
Khamenei delivered one of his harshest speeches in recent memory, denouncing the proposal and pouring cold water on hopes of an immediate resolution to the nuclear standoff.
Minutes later, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated that no deal excluding enrichment would be accepted, and Nuclear Chief Mohammad Eslami declared that Iran’s program would continue “with full force.”
Strategic ambiguity
Despite the sharpness of his remarks, Khamenei stopped short of ending negotiations—a nuance not lost on Iranian analysts, many of whom saw room for continued backchannel diplomacy.
His tone of suspicion echoed deeper cultural themes. Some commentators likened it to the writings of novelist Sadeq Hedayat, whose characters in Alaviyeh Khanom and Haji Aghaview the world as a web of deception and distrust, responding with preemptive cynicism.
Even before Khamenei’s speech, Iranian outlets had rallied against any framework that excluded enrichment. The official news agency IRNA published two sharply worded pieces on Tuesday.
One called Washington’s position “a gamble doomed to fail,” while the other warned the talks were headed for deadlock unless Tehran’s right to enrich was preserved.
State broadcaster IRIB maintained its usual pessimism.
In a symbolic moment following Khamenei’s address, it abruptly cut a weather update to broadcast a Moscow street interview, where Russian citizens praised Iran’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and his prophecy of communism’s fall—blending nostalgia with present-day complexity.
Press looking ahead
Wednesday marked the anniversary of Khomeini’s death in 1989, a national holiday with no newspapers in circulation. Even online publications were dominated by reverential pieces about the former Supreme Leader.
But Tuesday’s press and foreign-based Persian outlets struck a more somber tone. The reformist site Rouydad24 warned that what it called the achievements of five rounds of talks remained fragile, and that issues like zero enrichment could trigger collapse.
Though few in Iran or abroad believe war is imminent, some exiled Iranian analysts suggested the impasse could embolden Israel, long bent on dismantling Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Meanwhile, U.S. media reported that a new round of indirect talks—possibly in Oman—could take place as early as next week.
"The Tehran reactor we use was built by the Americans. In Canada and the United States, reactors operate with 90% enriched fuel," Mohammad Eslami said on Iranian state television. "So the percentage of enrichment has no particular significance."
The nuclear chief also stressed that 20% enrichment is necessary for research reactors. "Without the capability to design and manufacture reactors and complete the fuel cycle, one cannot claim to be nuclear-capable — and we are now at that level," he said.
Eslami emphasized that Iran’s nuclear development is rooted in national capability. "We have now reached full maturity in the nuclear fuel cycle, which is the foundation of the nuclear industry," he said.
"The West cannot tolerate this and continues to escalate its hostility toward us in every possible way."
He accused the United States and its allies of trying to maintain monopolistic control over nuclear technology. "They have always said Iran should have no domestic reactor and must import fuel indefinitely," Eslami said. "Our response has always been clear: we will not accept such dependency."
He said the West’s portrayal of Iran’s nuclear intentions was misleading. "They do not want development unless it’s under their flag," he said. "But all our progress has been achieved by our own youth."
On Wednesday, Eslami vowed to continue advancing the country’s nuclear program with “faith, revolutionary spirit, and heartfelt conviction,” asserting that Iran will resist excessive demands from the United States and other global powers in a statement addressed to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Diplomatic talks mediated by Oman between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff have stalled over Iran’s insistence on maintaining enrichment activities inside the country.
US and Iran want an agreement, UN nuclear watchdog says
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi, speaking in Damascus, said that the agency is not party to the negotiations but remains in close contact with both sides.
"They are negotiating, not us, but it is obvious that the IAEA will have to be the guarantor of whichever agreement they come to," he said.
Grossi expressed cautious optimism. "I think they both want an agreement, which doesn’t mean that it’s easy to get," he said. "But having two sides that want a deal is already a big advantage."
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump urged Tehran to respond swiftly to American demands. "Time is running out on Iran’s decision pertaining to nuclear weapons, which must be made quickly!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. He also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had offered to mediate.
In March, Trump warned that if a deal was not agreed upon within two months, the US would bomb Tehran, though he did not state a deadline.
Iran has consistently said that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. However, Western powers have accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons capabilities—allegations Iran denies.
Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching uranium to 60% U-235. The IAEA has consistently maintained that there is no credible civilian use for uranium enriched to this level, which is a short technical step from weapons-grade 90% fissile material.