Iran has said that its stockpile of highly enriched uranium is not being discussed in ongoing negotiations with the United States, signaling Tehran’s firm stance on one of the most sensitive issues surrounding its nuclear program, according to Mehr News Agency.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 14th International Security Forum in Moscow on Wednesday, Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told reporters that the issue of enriched uranium reserves “is not on the agenda of the talks” between Tehran and Washington.
His remarks come as diplomatic efforts continue to ease tensions over Iran’s nuclear activities and regional security concerns. Although both sides have held indirect discussions in recent months, major disagreements remain unresolved.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei also defended the country’s position regarding nearly 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity. He stressed that Iran remains a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and therefore has the legal right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
“We have made our positions very clear,” Baghaei said, emphasizing that Iran’s nuclear activities are within its rights under international agreements.
At the same time, he acknowledged the deep divisions that still exist in the negotiations. According to Baghaei, attempts to discuss highly enriched uranium in detail during the current stage of talks could prevent progress and risk collapsing the negotiations altogether.
“We have already gone through this before,” he said, noting that earlier rounds of talks failed because of major disagreements over sensitive nuclear issues.
Iran’s growing uranium stockpile has long been a source of concern for Western countries, which fear the material could eventually be used for military purposes. Tehran, however, continues to insist that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and intended only for civilian energy and scientific development.
