Amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday claimed that Washington has not asked Tehran to permanently halt uranium enrichment, pushing back against reports that suggested it was a key condition for nuclear talks.
Speaking onMSNBC, Araghchi said recent talks in Geneva had been constructive and that both sides had agreed on guiding principles for a possible deal. “The US side has not asked for zero enrichment," he said, adding that Iran had not offered to suspend enrichment either.
The top Iranian diplomat stressed diplomacy between the two countries, saying there was no “military solution" to Tehran’s nuclear programme. “What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear programme, including enrichment, is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever," he said.
Trump’s 10-Day Deadline For Iran
Araghchi also said both the US and Iran had agreed to prepare a draft framework for a possible agreement and would begin negotiating its language at their next meeting, calling the process “a normal way of any international negotiations."
His remarks came after US President Donald Trump warned Iran that it should make a deal over its nuclear programme within 10-15 days, or “really bad things" will happen. Amid a massive US military buildup in the Middle East that has fueled fears of a wider war, Trump said negotiations with Iran to end the tense standoff were going well but demanded that Tehran reach a “meaningful" agreement.
Trump’s remarks drew a threat from Iran, which said that US bases, facilities and assets in the region would be “legitimate targets" if Washington follows through on its military attacks. Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, told UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres that Trump’s remarks signals a “real risk of military aggression" that would be catastrophic for the region.
USS Gerald R Ford Reaches Mediterranean
Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier has reached the Mediterranean Sea, according to reports, as the United States increases its military presence in the region. The Kan broadcaster said the accompanying warship USS Mahan transmitted signals near the Strait of Gibraltar, indicating the carrier’s progress toward the eastern Mediterranean.
Trump has deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware to the Middle East as he seeks to block Iran from building a nuclear bomb. Several reports suggested that the US military would be ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend.
Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News
