Key Takeaways
- Iran remains determined to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, despite US strikes on its nuclear facilities six months ago.
- The US and Iran are at odds over nuclear limits and sanctions relief, with the US insisting on zero enrichment and Iran considering it a red line that must continue.
- The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which regulated and monitored Iran’s nuclear activities since 2015, has officially expired.
- Iran is committed to its legal obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, but has criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency for not addressing its security concerns.
- The US and Iran were in new talks, but Araghchi said there would be no deal if the US insisted on zero enrichment.
Introduction to the Situation
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that despite the country’s nuclear facilities being seriously damaged by US strikes six months ago, Iran remains determined to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment. In an interview with the Russian channel RT, Araghchi emphasized that "technology cannot be bombed" and rejected conditions to limit nuclear enrichment. He also stated that Iran is ready to provide guarantees that its program would remain peaceful. This comes after US President Donald Trump previously escalated his warnings to Tehran, saying any new Iranian nuclear site would be bombed if the country attempted to restart its program without an agreement.
Background on the Conflict
The conflict between the US and Iran over nuclear enrichment has been ongoing for several years. A nuclear enrichment limit was a major sticking point in talks between Washington and Tehran earlier this year, before Israel attacked Iran in June. The US then struck three major Iranian nuclear sites in an operation Tehran called illegal and unjustified. Araghchi said Iran sought a fair and balanced solution, adding that he did not see Washington as ready for negotiations. His comments contradicted Trump’s claim that Iran wanted to reach a deal. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which had regulated and monitored Iran’s nuclear activities since 2015, has officially expired, and Iran is at odds with Western powers over nuclear limits and sanctions relief.
Current Developments
According to observers, Tehran may have been working to restore its nuclear program, including work at the site of the Natanz Nuclear Complex, which the US targeted on June 22. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspectors remain barred from those sites struck by the US. Iran has criticized the IAEA for not addressing its security concerns by publicly condemning the US and Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities, though Araghchi said the country remained committed to its legal obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The US and Iran were in new talks because Trump unilaterally withdrew from the previous nuclear deal in 2018. During the 2025 talks, Araghchi said there would be no deal if the US insisted on zero enrichment, saying enrichment was a red line that must continue.
Statements from Key Figures
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told RT on Sunday: "Enrichment is our right before anything else, and then of course it’s a matter of national dignity and national pride…. I think by the recognition of this right, the US would do something good for the nonproliferation regime." US President Donald Trump said at the White House on December 11: "Iran is not the same country. Iran was a country that was feared by everybody. Now, it’s a country that’s been very much downgraded. I’m sure they’ll try and come back…. But if they do want to come back, and they want to come back without a deal, then we’re going to obliterate that one, too." These statements highlight the tension and disagreement between the two countries over nuclear enrichment and the terms of a potential deal.
Future Developments
Araghchi’s remarks come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump at the White House next week, amid Iranian concerns about the possibility of renewed attacks. The meeting is likely to discuss the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, as well as the potential for a new deal. However, with the US insisting on zero enrichment and Iran considering it a red line, it remains to be seen whether a deal can be reached. Araghchi’s comments suggest that Iran is willing to wait until the US is ready for a fair agreement, but the timeline for such an agreement is uncertain. As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that the conflict between the US and Iran over nuclear enrichment will remain a major point of contention in the region.
