Iran to reject U.S. nuclear deal proposal as "not balanced": source
KYODO NEWS - 2 minutes ago - 21:16 | All, World
Iran plans to reject a proposal from the United States for a nuclear agreement, viewing it as "not balanced," a diplomatic source said Monday, following negotiations that started in April.
The U.S. administration of President Donald Trump has called on Iran to cease uranium enrichment. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said Saturday on social media platform X that he had received via mediator Oman "elements of a U.S. proposal which will be appropriately responded to" in line with Iran's national interests.
The source told Kyodo News that the elements are "totally one-sided" and favor U.S. and Israeli interests, slamming the proposal as "a non-starter."
Trump, who has vowed to block Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, is seeking a new deal with Iran after pulling the United States out of the previous agreement between Iran and six major powers in 2018, under which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.
Senior U.S. and Iranian government officials have held five rounds of indirect talks over the nuclear issue since April this year. Iran has insisted that its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes.
Trump has threatened to use military force if talks break down. Both sides have said negotiations will continue, but the schedule for the next round has yet to be fixed, indicating the differences remaining.
Israel is reportedly considering attacking Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump said Wednesday he had called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during phone talks not to attack Iran, claiming that Washington was close to a nuclear deal with Tehran.
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