Iran Cites “Dishonesty” in US Nuclear Offer Lacking Sanctions Removal

Iran’s parliament speaker revealed on Sunday, through state media, that the latest US nuclear proposal lacks any provision for sanctions relief, a significant hurdle that has brought negotiations to a standstill. Five rounds of talks, facilitated by Oman since April, have aimed to reinstate a pivotal agreement that restricted Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for economic concessions, an accord abandoned by the former US President in 2018.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliament speaker, expressed in a broadcast on Iranian television that the “US plan does not even mention the lifting of sanctions,” interpreting this as a clear indication of dishonesty. He further criticized the Americans for attempting to impose a “unilateral” agreement that Tehran is unwilling to accept. Ghalibaf advised the US president to reconsider his approach if he genuinely desires a resolution.
Following the fifth round of discussions on May 31, Iran acknowledged receiving “elements” of a US proposal, though officials later voiced reservations about “ambiguities” within the document. Western powers and the US have consistently accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weaponry, an accusation that Iran has vehemently denied, asserting its atomic program serves exclusively peaceful ends.
The primary points of contention in the negotiations remain the removal of stringent economic sanctions and the sensitive issue of uranium enrichment. Iran maintains its right to enrich uranium under international treaties, while the previous US administration considered any Iranian enrichment an absolute limit. The current US administration, having restarted its “maximum pressure” campaign, has repeatedly stated that uranium enrichment will not be allowed under any potential agreement. Iran’s top negotiator recently declared the country would not seek external permission to continue enriching uranium. Data from the international nuclear watchdog shows Iran as the only non-nuclear-weapon state enriching uranium to 60%, which is still short of the 90% required for a nuclear warhead. Iran’s supreme leader has also rejected the latest US proposal, underscoring the importance of enrichment to Iran’s nuclear program.