Abbas Araghchi Responds to Witkoff's Remarks: Iran's Right to Enrichment is Non-Negotiable

The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic reacted to comments from American officials regarding Iran's nuclear program and uranium enrichment, stating that Iran's right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable. Abbas Araghchi, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, April 27, added, "Real positions will be clarified at the negotiating table." He stated, "Iran's enrichment is a real and accepted matter. We are ready to build trust regarding potential concerns, but the core issue of enrichment is non-negotiable." The remarks from the Iranian Foreign Minister were a response to the new position announced by Steve Witkoff, the special representative of Donald Trump for Middle East affairs, who wrote on his X account on Tuesday, "Iran must stop and destroy its enrichment and nuclear weapons program." He added, "It is essential for the world to reach a stringent and fair agreement that remains sustainable, and this is what President Trump has asked me to do." The spokesperson for the U.S. State Department also reiterated this position. Witkoff's recent comments contradict an interview he had on Monday night with Fox News, where he emphasized Iran's right to enrich at a level of 3.67 percent. Donald Trump has stated that he does not want much from Iran, and his only goal is to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The Iranian Foreign Minister will return to Oman on Saturday, April 30, to conduct the second round of talks with Steve Witkoff. Both parties expressed satisfaction with the results of the first round held on April 22 in the capital of Oman. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, also stated that these negotiations have been well executed. Iran and six world powers signed an agreement known as the JCPOA in July 2015 to limit Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions, but Trump's first administration withdrew from this agreement in May 2018 and imposed severe sanctions on Iran. Since then, Iran has deviated from its commitments to reduce the level of enrichment and produce high-enriched uranium, to the extent that according to the latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, it possesses enough uranium for the production of six nuclear weapons if enrichment is increased to 90 percent. Iranian officials have denied any efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. Trump's second administration has been pursuing a "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran and intensifying sanctions since last February. The U.S. President has threatened to impose secondary sanctions on Iran and even "bomb" it.