Tehran: Iran is pressing the United States for specific details on how economic sanctions would be lifted as part of any potential new agreement over its nuclear programme, according to remarks made by Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Monday.
Baghaei’s comments, reported by the state-run IRNA news agency, follow the delivery of what Washington has described as a “reasonable” proposal aimed at reviving nuclear negotiations. However, reports suggest that Iranian officials view the offer as insufficient, with one diplomat reportedly calling it a “non-starter.”
Negotiations between the two nations have been ongoing for seven weeks. The US is demanding verifiable assurances that Iran’s nuclear activities remain peaceful, while Tehran is seeking relief from years of tough sanctions that have severely damaged its economy.
Iran now insists that the US clearly outline how sanctions will be removed, including the methods and timeline involved. Baghaei criticized the lack of transparency from Washington, stating, “The American side has not yet provided the necessary clarity in this regard.”
He also reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to uranium enrichment for what it claims are peaceful purposes. However, US envoy Steve Witkoff reiterated that President Donald Trump views any enrichment as unacceptable, labeling it a “red line.”
A recently leaked UN report indicates that Iran has increased its production of uranium enriched to 60%—well above the 4% level typically required for civilian energy production, yet still short of the 90% needed for weapons-grade material. Iran has dismissed the report as biased, blaming Western pressure on international institutions.
Despite receiving the US proposal, Iran has not endorsed it. “Receiving a text certainly does not mean accepting it, nor does it even mean that it is acceptable,” Baghaei said.
Sources cited by The New York Times noted that the proposal calls for Iran to halt all enrichment. Reuters, quoting an unnamed Iranian official, reported that Tehran is drafting a response that will likely reject the US terms, citing the lack of flexibility on enrichment and the absence of a clear roadmap for lifting sanctions.
The current negotiations are part of ongoing efforts to revive a nuclear deal to replace the 2015 agreement, which was abandoned by President Trump in 2018. Since April 12, the two sides have held five rounds of talks.
