Despite extensive damage from recent American and Israeli air raids, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to its uranium enrichment programme, deeming it a matter of national honour.
Araghchi stated on Fox News in a televised interview on Monday that Iran will not give up on its nuclear development even if the enrichment programme is briefly suspended owing to “serious and significant” damage.
“This is an accomplishment of our own scientists…more than that, it is a matter of national pride,” he remarked.
Araghchi, however, also showed willingness for fresh diplomatic contacts with the United States provided the discussions seek a “win-win solution.”
“There is a negotiated solution for our nuclear programme. We have done it once in the past. We are ready to do it once again.”
For the removal of US sanctions, he stressed that Iran is prepared to take confidence-building steps to show its nuclear programme stays peaceful. Earlier this year Tehran and Washington had engaged in talks, but they broke down following Israel’s unexpected bombardment attacks on June 13, which claimed 28 lives in Israel and over 900 in Iran. Claiming to have delayed Iran’s nuclear capability by up to two years, the United States next joined the strikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure.
Tension is high following the departure of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors from Iran; this interview takes place against that backdrop. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian instructed the withdrawal after Tehran halted collaboration with the UN nuclear agency in reaction to a scathing resolution adopted by the IAEA board on June 12.
Araghchi stated that Iran has “not stopped” fully cooperating with the IAEA despite the suspension and will soon brief the agency on the status of its enriched uranium stockpiles.
The United Nations, meanwhile, applauded planned negotiations between Iran and the three remaining European signatories of the 2015 nuclear accord—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—set for Friday in Turkey. Failure by Tehran to resume nuclear discussions might result in fresh international sanctions, the European countries have warned.
Signed in 2015, the original Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) fell apart in 2018 when former US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement. Iran promised severe restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for alleviation of sanctions under the agreement.
