Iran's top diplomat insisted on Wednesday that Tehran will never stop enriching uranium, reiterating the Islamic republic's tough stance on the eve of a new round of indirect talks with the United States over its nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, "I have said it before and I repeat it: Iran's uranium enrichment will continue - with or without a deal," state television reported.
Washington and Tehran have held several rounds of talks, including at the expert level, on the details of a possible agreement.
However, no deal has yet been reached and US officials - including President Donald Trump, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - insist that Iran must give up uranium enrichment.
Iran had not given up uranium enrichment even in the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Araghchi added that Iran is “now considering whether to participate in the next round of talks and when to participate.” Negotiators have previously met in Muscat, Oman, and in Rome.
Later Wednesday, Oman's foreign minister announced that the fifth round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States will be held in Rome on Friday.
Neither Tehran nor Washington have confirmed the meeting, or whether they will attend.
Oman has long served as a mediator, facilitating quiet diplomacy amid tensions over Iran's nuclear program and regional security.
Araghchi said that Iran "has never abandoned diplomacy. We will always be present at the negotiating table, and the main reason for our presence is to protect the rights of the Iranian people."
"We oppose excessive demands and rhetoric at the table," he added.
Meanwhile, a day earlier, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said he does not expect the talks to produce an agreement.
"I don't think nuclear talks with the US will bring results. I don't know," Khamenei said.
The aim of the talks is to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the devastating economic sanctions the US has imposed on the Islamic republic.
Trump has warned of the possibility of military action if diplomatic efforts fail, and that Israel is likely to participate in attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Iran has vowed to respond to any attack and has shown off its military capabilities in recent weeks, including unveiling a new missile and an underwater drone base. (A2 Televizion)
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