Iran Offers Nuclear Assurances but Will Not Cede Uranium

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said ahead of the next round of negotiations with the United States that Tehran is prepared to provide assurances regarding the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, according to The Star.

Pezeshkian said Iran can also confirm in writing that it has no interest in developing nuclear weapons. At the same time, he emphasized that the country will not give up its right to enrich uranium, which it considers a legitimate part of its nuclear program.

Washington will have to accept this position, Pezeshkian said. The remarks came shortly before a planned meeting between Iranian and US officials in Switzerland, where further discussions on the nuclear program and possibilities for easing tensions between the two countries are expected.

Iran has long sought to convince the international community that its nuclear activities are exclusively for civilian purposes, while the West demands strict guarantees that the program will not be directed toward the production of nuclear weapons.

(mja)