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Tehran Shows Willingness for Nuclear Concessions in Exchange for Lifting U.S. Sanctions
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi has expressed his country’s readiness to make concessions regarding its stockpile of enriched uranium in exchange for the lifting of U.S. sanctions, coinciding with the resumption of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States.
In an interview with the BBC aired on Sunday, the Iranian official confirmed that Iran is open to engaging in a settlement if Washington demonstrates seriousness in lifting the sanctions. He noted that a new round of negotiations is set to take place next Tuesday, following talks that resumed on February 6 in Muscat.
Switzerland announced it will host another round of talks in Geneva next week, on behalf of Oman, without specifying an exact date.
Western countries and Israel, regarded as the only nuclear power in the Middle East by experts, accuse Iran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, which Tehran denies, asserting its right to a civilian nuclear program.
In this context, Takht Ravanchi did not rule out the possibility of shipping more than 400 kilograms of enriched uranium out of the country, considering it premature to finalize the details of what the negotiations may yield. Several countries, including Russia, have offered to host this stockpile, a notion Iran has previously opposed.
The fate of this stockpile remains uncertain, last seen during an inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency on June 10, prior to Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
According to the agency, Iran was enriching uranium at a level of 60%, far exceeding the 3.67% limit stipulated in the now-defunct 2015 nuclear agreement. Former U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly called for a complete halt to enrichment, but the Iranian official emphasized that “the issue of zero enrichment is no longer relevant” for Tehran.
Furthermore, the Fars news agency reported a statement from an Iranian Foreign Ministry official that the discussions also include potential U.S. investments in the Iranian energy sector, reflecting a shift towards a broader approach beyond just the technical nuclear file.
