Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States "will lead nowhere" if Washington insists that Tehran reduce its uranium enrichment activity to zero. This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takhtravanchi, quoted by "Reuters".
US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday reiterated Washington's position that any new deal between the US and Iran must include an agreement not to enrich uranium - a possible path to developing nuclear bombs. Tehran says its nuclear energy program is purely peaceful.
"Our position on enrichment is clear and we have repeatedly stated that this is a national achievement that we will not back down from," Takhtravanchı said.
During his visit to the Gulf region last week, US President Donald Trump said a deal was very close but warned Iran it must act quickly.
During his first term in office, which runs from 2017 to 2021, Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 deal between Iran and world powers, which imposed strict limits on Tehran's uranium enrichment activities in exchange for relief from international sanctions.
Trump has described the 2015 agreement as one-sided in favor of Iran and reimposed sweeping sanctions on the Islamic republic. Tehran responded by escalating uranium enrichment.