Iran rejects temporary halt on uranium enrichment
Iran will not consider temporarily suspending uranium enrichment to secure a nuclear deal with the US, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, adding that no date had yet been set for a sixth round of talks with Washington.
The negotiations between Washington and Tehran aim to resolve a decades-long dispute over Iran's nuclear ambitions, and both sides have taken a tough stance in public over the issue of Iran's uranium enrichment.
Asked about reports that Iran could freeze enrichment for three years to reach an agreement, spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told a press conference: "Iran will never accept that."
Baghaei also ruled out the possibility of an interim nuclear deal with the US, dismissing media reports that a provisional agreement was being considered as a temporary step towards a final deal.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday that US negotiators had "very good" talks with an Iranian delegation over the weekend. Iran is waiting for further details from mediator Oman regarding the timing of the next round of talks, Baghaei said.
"If there is goodwill from the American side, we are also optimistic, but if talks are aimed at curbing Iran's rights then talks will get nowhere," he added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
16 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
China hits back at Marco Rubio's remarks on Tiananmen Square crackdown
The Chinese flag at Tiananmen Square flies at half-mast in memory of late former Chinese premier Li Keqiang, in Beijing, China on November 2, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS Listen to article Beijing hit back on Wednesday at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for saying the world will 'never forget' the deadly Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, describing his remarks as an 'attack' on China. Troops and tanks forcibly cleared peaceful protesters from Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, after weeks-long demonstrations demanding greater political freedoms. The exact toll is unknown, but hundreds died, with some estimates exceeding 1,000. China's communist rulers have since sought to erase any public mention of the crackdown, with censors scrubbing all online references. Police were seen by AFP on Wednesday at the entrance to Wan'an Cemetery, a site in west Beijing where victims of the crackdown are known to be buried. Officers were also posted at several intersections leading into Tiananmen Square. On Wednesday evening, a line of buses and a cherry picker partially blocked screens at the German and Canadian embassies showing images of candles, a symbol commonly used to pay tribute to Tiananmen victims. 'Never forget' Rubio said in a statement that the 'world will never forget' what happened on June 4, even as Beijing 'actively tries to censor the facts'. 'Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989,' Rubio said. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian hit back during a briefing in the capital, saying Beijing had 'lodged a solemn protest' over the American politician's comments, which 'maliciously distort historical facts … and seriously interfere in China's internal affairs'. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te echoed Rubio's remarks, vowing to preserve the memory of victims of the bloody crackdown. 'Authoritarian governments often choose to be silent and forget history; democratic societies choose to preserve the truth and refuse to forget those who have contributed to the ideal of human rights and their dreams,' Lai said on Facebook. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to seize the democratically run island by force. 'Reaffirm our commitment' In Hong Kong, jailed activist Chow Hang-tung began a 36-hour hunger strike on Wednesday, a dogged attempt to individually commemorate the anniversary in a city that once hosted huge public remembrances. The former lawyer used to help organise an annual vigil that drew tens of thousands to the city's Victoria Park. Hong Kong had been the only place under Chinese rule where commemoration of the crackdown was tolerated. Slogans at the candlelight vigil sometimes called for democracy in China and an end to one-party rule. But after huge and sometimes violent protests roiled the city in 2019, Beijing brought in a wide-ranging national security law that has quashed political dissent. The public memorial has effectively been banned and Chow imprisoned, facing a potential life sentence on subversion charges. On Wednesday, AFP journalists saw at least seven people taken away by police around Victoria Park, including two schoolgirls holding white flowers — which often signify mourning in Chinese culture — and a man standing in silent tribute. Some people were stopped and searched by police. 'It's a shame that there's no more [vigils] … In fact, no one will ever forget [the vigils],' a man named Yuen, 49, who did not give his first name, told AFP. Over the last few years, activists have been detained for 'offences in connection with seditious intention' around the anniversary. In a social media post, Chow said her hunger strike would 'commemorate this day and reaffirm our commitment' and urged authorities to apologise over her 'wrongful' imprisonment. 'History tells us that [the apology] will likely take a very long time — the Tiananmen Mothers have been waiting for 36 years and still have not received an apology,' she said, referring to an activist group made up of families of victims of the crackdown. A video featuring 87-year-old Zhang Xianling, whose 19-year-old son was killed in 1989, circulated online last week. China's authorities have never addressed the group's plea for dialogue around the issue — instead, they have used all means to monitor and wiretap members of the Tiananmen Mothers, Zhang said. 'The lights in Victoria Park may have been blown out by the gales, but the sparks of justice will glow in the hearts of every conscientious person,' she added. At a vigil on Wednesday in Taipei's Liberty Square, 20-year-old American student Lara Waldron told AFP: 'I feel like this June 4 is very close to me right now. 'As a college student, I'm of the age of many organisers and participants — people [who] lost their lives in Tiananmen. '
Express Tribune
41 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
Khamenei rejects US demand to halt uranium enrichment, calls it against Iran's interests
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian and his cabinet in Tehran, Iran on August 27, 2024. PHOTO: REUTERS Listen to article Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that abandoning uranium enrichment was "100%" against the country's interests, rejecting a central US demand in talks to resolve a decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The US proposal for a new nuclear deal was presented to Iran on Saturday by Oman, which has mediated talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. After five rounds of talks, several hard-to-bridge issues remain, including Iran's insistence on maintaining uranium enrichment on its soil and Tehran's refusal to ship abroad its entire existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium - possible raw material for nuclear bombs. Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state, said nothing about halting the talks, but said the US proposal "contradicts our nation's belief in self-reliance and the principle of 'We Can'". "Uranium enrichment is the key to our nuclear programme and the enemies have focused on the enrichment," Khamenei said during a televised speech marking the anniversary of the death of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. "The proposal that the Americans have presented is 100% against our interests ... The rude and arrogant leaders of America repeatedly demand that we should not have a nuclear programme. Who are you to decide whether Iran should have enrichment?," he added. Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan–US ties entering new era: PM Shehbaz
Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended greetings to the United States on its 249th Independence Day, stating that bilateral ties are entering a 'new era' of cooperation and understanding. Speaking at a ceremony hosted by the US Embassy in Islamabad on Wednesday, he congratulated the American people and expressed Pakistan's commitment to further strengthening relations between the two nations. 'On the 249th Independence Day of the United States, I extend heartfelt congratulations,' Sharif said. 'We are committed to further strengthening our relations, and both countries are entering a new era of partnership,' he added. He highlighted the historical ties between the two nations, noting that the United States was among the first countries to recognise Pakistan after its independence in 1947. وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کا ریاست ہائے متحدہ امریکہ کی آزادی کی 249ویں سالگرہ کی تقریب سے خطاب! — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) June 4, 2025 'There is a history of Pakistan–US relations,' Sharif said, adding, 'The US is one of the earliest countries to recognise Pakistan.' The prime minister also reflected on Pakistan's sacrifices in the global fight against terrorism, underscoring the toll it has taken on the nation. 'We have suffered immense losses in the war against terrorism,' he said. 'Pakistan's sacrifices in counter-terrorism efforts are second to none.' The event was attended by diplomats, civil and military officials, and members of the Pakistani and international communities.
