DUBAI, May 18. /TASS/. Iran will not stop enriching activities, despite the statement by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.
"Our stance on Iran's rights as a NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty - TASS) member is crystal clear, and there is no scenario in which Iranians will permit deviance from that. Mastering enrichment technology is a hard-earned and homegrown scientific achievement; an outcome of great sacrifice of both blood and treasure," he wrote on his X page.
"If the U.S. is interested in ensuring that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, a deal is within reach, and we are ready for a serious conversation to achieve a solution that will forever ensure that outcome," he noted.
"Enrichment in Iran, however, will continue with or without a deal," he emphasized.
Witkoff said earlier in the day that the United States cannot allow Iran to continue enriching uranium as this may lead to weaponization, and this is his country’s principled position.
The Iranian foreign ministry said earlier that in case anti-Iranian sanctions are lifted, Tehran would be ready to negotiate with the US potential limits on the volume and level of uranium enrichment but will never abandon its nuclear program, insisting that the right to develop peaceful nuclear technologies is guaranteed to all signatories to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and Tehran was among the first to sign it.
The United States and Iran have held four rounds of Oman-brokered talks on settling differences around Tehran’s nuclear program. The first round was held in Muscat on April 12, the second one - in Rome on April 19, and the third and fourth rounds took place in the Omani capital city on April 26 and May 11. The Iranian delegation to the consultations is held by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while Witkoff heads the US delegation.