Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday emphatically rejected a central US demand that Iran stop uranium enrichment, dismissing it as “100% against the interests of the country.” During a live broadcast address commemorating the anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s death, Khamenei scolded Washington’s efforts for a new nuclear agreement with Iran, asking, “Who are you to determine if Iran should have enrichment?”
His remarks came after a latest American proposal transmitted through Oman as Iranian authorities and Donald Trump’s Middle East special envoy, Steve Witkoff, engage in negotiations. Five rounds of negotiations have failed to break the impasse, with a key point of contention still being Iran’s insistence on not shutting down enrichment or exporting its cache of highly enriched uranium.
Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, did not pull out of the talks but sharply rebuked American expectations. “Enrichment of uranium is the centerpiece of our nuclear issue,” he said, adding that any attempt to stop it would go against Iran’s quest for independence.
Iran maintains that nuclear activities are purely peaceful and deny the allegations of weaponization made by Western powers. Nevertheless, the most recent US offer is said to be rejected by Tehran as not tackling the nation’s security and economic interests.
President Trump has resumed his “maximum pressure” approach since coming back to the White House in January, re-imposing draconian sanctions and threatening the use of force if Iran does not accept a new agreement. He is determined to stop Iran from developing nuclear arms, in response to threats against Israel and regional security.
Since the US pulled out of the 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran has stepped up enrichment above the accord’s limits. In the background, Israel, Iran’s longstanding foe, persists in issuing threats to strike Iranian nuclear facilities threats that Iranian officials pledged to meet with force.
The diplomatic confrontation highlights a growing gap between the sides amid rising regional tensions.
