Iran criticizes US stance on uranium enrichment

19/5/2025 6:25

Any deal between the

United States and Iran must include an agreement not to enrich

uranium, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday, a

comment that drew criticism from Tehran.

While Witkoff was reiterating President Donald Trump's position

about uranium enrichment, Iran's response was evidence that the

two sides have a long way to go to reach any agreement over

Iran's nuclear program.



"We have one very, very clear red line, and that is

enrichment. We cannot allow even 1% of an enrichment

capability," Witkoff said during an interview aired on ABC's

"This Week" program.



Everything begins, from the Trump administration's

standpoint, "with a deal that does not include enrichment. We

cannot have that. Because enrichment enables weaponization. And

we will not allow a bomb to get here," Witkoff said.



The response from Tehran was swift.



"Unrealistic expectations stop negotiations, enrichment in

Iran is not something that can be stopped", Iran's semi-official

Tasnim news agency cited Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi,

as saying on Sunday.



"I think he is completely at a distance from the reality of

the negotiations," Araqchi said of Witkoff, and added that

enrichment will continue.



Witkoff said he is optimistic about negotiations and thinks

the parties will hold talks again in Europe this week.



"We hope that it will lead to some real positivity," Witkoff

said.



Araqchi said the date and location of the next round of

talks will be announced soon.



Trump said on Thursday that the United States was getting

very close to securing a nuclear deal with Iran, but on Friday

said Iran needs to move quickly. Trump told reporters on Friday

aboard Air Force One after departing the United Arab Emirates:

"They have a proposal. More importantly, they know they have to

move quickly or something bad - something bad's going to

happen," according to an audio recording of the remarks.



Araqchi said on social media that Tehran had not received a

U.S. proposal.



During his first term as president, Trump withdrew the

United States from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers

that placed strict limits on Tehran's uranium enrichment

activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump also

reimposed sweeping U.S. sanctions.