The Wall Street Journal, citing informed officials and diplomats, revealed that Iran maintained its refusal to end or suspend its nuclear fuel enrichment activities.
This stance held during an unannounced round of talks held in the Omani capital, Muscat.
These talks were part of diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions between Tehran and the West.
They also aimed at reviving negotiations on the nuclear issue.
According to the newspaper, Iranian negotiators clearly informed mediators that uranium enrichment constitutes a “red line” that cannot be crossed.
They consider it a sovereign right guaranteed by international agreements, particularly the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
This treaty allows member states to develop peaceful nuclear programs for energy and scientific research purposes.
The sources explained that the Iranian position clashed with American and European demands that enrichment at high levels be halted. Alternatively, they requested it be at least temporarily frozen,
as a confidence-building measure to pave the way for a broader agreement. This would limit Tehran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for a gradual easing of economic sanctions.
International concerns about Iran
The Wall Street Journal noted that the Muscat talks, despite their informal nature, reflect the continuation of back-channel communication between the two sides.
This is given the stalled formal negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement,
from which the United States withdrew in 2018 during the administration of former US President Donald Trump.
The newspaper quoted Western diplomats as saying that the Iranian position makes reaching an understanding in the near future more difficult.
This comes at a time when international concerns are escalating about Iran’s approaching the technical capabilities
that would allow it to produce a nuclear weapon within a short period, something Tehran consistently denies.
In contrast, Iranian officials, according to the report, stressed that any potential agreement must include clear guarantees that the United States will not withdraw again.
Also, they insisted that sanctions will be actually lifted, not just political promises.
This development comes amid a complex regional and international climate, where the nuclear negotiations intersect with other security issues.
Therefore, the path to an understanding between Iran and the West is even more complicated and sensitive at this stage.
