Araghchi: The principle of enrichment is non-negotiable

Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, speaking on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting today in response to a question from Mizan news agency about the objectives of his upcoming trip to Moscow, said: “The purpose of my trip to Russia is to deliver a written message from the Supreme Leader to President Putin, which I will present to him during our meeting, God willing.”

On the second round of indirect Iran-U.S. talks mediated by Oman, the Foreign Minister remarked: “Saturday’s meeting will be a continuation of the previous session. As mentioned, the first round was constructive and forward-looking. However, between the last session and now, we have heard various, sometimes contradictory statements from U.S. officials, which are not conducive to a proper negotiation process.”

Noting that Mr. Witkoff has made inconsistent remarks, Araghchi added: “True positions are clarified at the negotiating table. We need to understand their actual stance during the talks. If they come with constructive positions, we hope to begin discussions on the framework of a potential agreement.”

He warned that continued contradictory and conflicting positions would complicate matters.

Regarding the U.S. pressure campaign on Iran, Araghchi asserted: “Our stance and actions are clear. They will gain nothing through pressure. If negotiations are conducted on equal footing and in a respectful environment, progress is possible. But they will achieve nothing through pressure and imposition.”

He emphasized: “We have proven this through our actions and positions. We continue negotiations calmly and composed, unaffected by any external influences.”

On the topic of enrichment being discussed in indirect talks, the head of Iran’s diplomacy stated: “What is certain is that Iran’s enrichment is a recognized reality. We are ready to build confidence regarding any potential concerns, but the principle of enrichment itself is non-negotiable.”