Iran on Monday demanded assurances from Washington that U.S. sanctions could be lifted as a part of any nuclear deal, following stories that the White House had submitted a proposal it considers “acceptable.”
With Iran and the United States engaged in talks over Tehran’s nuclear program since April, Washington’s proposal for a deal got here after a leaked U.N. report stated Iran had stepped up manufacturing of extremely enriched uranium.
Iran’s prime diplomat and lead nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, was on account of meet the pinnacle of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Cairo on Monday, a day after the report was leaked.
Tehran has rejected the report, warning it will retaliate if European powers which have threatened to reimpose nuclear sanctions “exploit” the report.
The United States and Western international locations have accused Iran of looking for nuclear weapons, a cost Tehran has repeatedly denied, insisting it wants uranium for civilian energy manufacturing.
Araghchi stated Saturday that he had obtained “elements” of a U.S. proposal for a nuclear deal following 5 rounds of talks mediated by Oman.
On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei informed a news convention in Tehran: “We want to guarantee that the sanctions are effectively lifted.”
“So far, the American side has not wanted to clarify this issue,” he added.
He additionally condemned the report and threatened an Iranian response.
The report, Baqaei stated, was the results of “pressure exerted by certain European countries on the agency.”
“If they want to further exploit this political report … they will surely have to face a proportionate response from Iran,” he added.
‘Red line’
The remarks come after a report by the U.N. company confirmed Iran has stepped up manufacturing of uranium enriched as much as 60% – near the roughly 90% stage wanted for atomic weapons.
The U.S. envoy within the nuclear talks stated final month that the administration of President Donald Trump would oppose any enrichment.
“An enrichment programme can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line. No enrichment,” Steve Witkoff informed Breitbart News.
Iran has vowed to maintain enriching uranium “with or without a deal” on its nuclear program.
The United States has despatched Iran a proposal for a nuclear deal that the White House known as “acceptable” and in its “best interest” to simply accept, U.S. media reported on Saturday.
The New York Times, citing officers acquainted with the diplomatic exchanges, stated the proposal calls on Iran to cease all enrichment and suggests making a regional grouping to provide nuclear energy.
Iran has held 5 rounds of talks with the United States looking for a brand new settlement to switch the take care of main powers that Trump deserted throughout his first time period in 2018.
Source: www.dailysabah.com