While talking to the media, Aragchi noted that Iran does not intend to give up the right to enrich uranium, which is crucial to its nuclear program. However, he added, the state is ready to take steps to build trust and confirm the peaceful nature of its activities in this field. One of the conditions, however, is for the West to ease some of the economic sanctions imposed on Iran.
Let us recall that the sanctions were reinstated by the decision of the UN Security Council, which voted to re-impose them on September 19, and they entered into force at the end of that month.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also expressed firm confidence in his statements at the end of September that the country would not abandon uranium enrichment. Khamenei also assured that Iran has no intention of producing nuclear weapons and its nuclear program is purely peaceful.
Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA
In July, Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in response to the June bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by Israel and later by the United States. Despite this, in September Tehran agreed to establish new rules of cooperation with the Agency.
In early October, Aragchi expressed doubts about further cooperation with the IAEA in the face of the reinstatement of sanctions by the UN. In his words, continuing such actions “is no longer right.”
According to IAEA data, Iran currently has approximately 440 kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent. Experts indicate that further enrichment up to 90 percent. would enable the production of 8-10 nuclear bombs. However, Tehran firmly denies that it seeks to possess nuclear weapons, assuring the peaceful nature of its program.
