Egypt Daily News – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reaffirmed on Saturday his country’s unwavering stance on its right to enrich uranium, declaring that Iran remains committed to regional dialogue and cooperation, but will not compromise on its national rights.
Speaking at the “Iran-Arab Dialogue” conference held in Doha under the theme “Strong Relations and Shared Interests,” Araghchi emphasized, “Iran firmly believes in the principle of dialogue,” highlighting that recent regional developments have helped foster a shared understanding of common threats.
Araghchi reiterated that while Iran considers the possession and use of nuclear weapons to be forbidden, it insists on its legitimate right to enrich uranium. “We do not seek nuclear weapons; such arms have no place in Iran’s defense doctrine,” he said. However, he warned Western countries against applying double standards, stating, “It is unacceptable that an entity committing genocide possesses a nuclear arsenal.”
“If the goal of negotiations is to ensure Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon, that is achievable,” he said, adding, “But if the demands are irrational, they must understand that Iran will never give up the rights of its people.”
His comments come just a day before the fourth round of postponed nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, scheduled for Sunday in Oman. The first round was held on April 12 in Muscat, followed by the second round on April 19 at the Omani embassy in Rome, and the third on April 26 back in Muscat. Following the third round, Araghchi described the discussions as more serious than previous ones, but acknowledged continued disagreement over key issues and details.
The ongoing negotiations aim to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, which provided sanctions relief in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear program. That deal unraveled after the U.S. unilaterally withdrew under President Donald Trump in May 2018 and reimposed sweeping sanctions, prompting Iran to gradually scale back its compliance, including increasing uranium enrichment levels.
With Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, Washington reinstated its “maximum pressure” strategy, worsening Iran’s economic crisis and fueling inflation.
