Tehran firm on enrichment ahead of European nuclear talks
Iran will assert its right to enrich uranium in upcoming nuclear talks with Britain, France, and Germany, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi revealed on Thursday.
Describing Iran's position as 'firm' in the aftermath of the Israeli offensive, he reaffirmed Tehran's commitment to continuing enrichment at its nuclear facilities.
The talks—scheduled for Friday at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul—follow a request by the three European powers for a new round of discussions, according to Iranian state media.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed earlier this week that Tehran agreed to the meeting, which will be held at the deputy foreign ministerial level. Iran will be represented by Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Kazem Gharibabadi.
In a briefing ahead of the meeting, Gharibabadi outlined the conditions under which Iran might reengage with the United States. These include recognition of Tehran's rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), concrete steps by Washington to rebuild trust, and guarantees that future negotiations would not serve as a prelude to renewed military action.
'There can be no return to the table unless Iran's rights are acknowledged and trust is restored through actions, not promises,' Gharibabadi stated.
He also confirmed that Tehran had approved a visit by a technical delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the coming weeks to explore a new framework for cooperation. However, he emphasized that the visit would not involve access to Iranian nuclear sites.
The IAEA has yet to issue a direct response, though the agency indicated that Director General Rafael Grossi remains in contact with all parties involved in the Iranian nuclear file.
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