Iran never wanted nuclear weapons, stalemate with US on uranium: FM

Iranian FM Seyyed Abbas Araghchi reaffirms commitment to a peaceful nuclear agenda but admits talks with the US on enriched uranium are at a stalemate. He also hailed the Chabahar Port as a 'golden gate' for India to access Central Asia.

Iran committed to peaceful nuclear agenda

Asserting that Tehran has "never wanted nuclear weapons," Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday reaffirmed his country's commitment to a peaceful nuclear agenda, admitting that critical negotiations with Washington over enriched uranium have hit a temporary stalemate.

Addressing a press conference during his visit to the national capital for the 18th BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Araghchi maintained that Iran's strategic stance remains consistent with the 2015 nuclear agreement with the US; however, Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal during his first term in 2018, labelling it "defective".

"Iran has never wanted nuclear weapons, and we proved that when we signed the deal in 2015," Araghchi stated. He further emphasised, "We have said time and again that we don't want nuclear weapons, and this is not our policy. We have a peaceful nuclear programme, and we have always remained ready to build this confidence."

Stalemate with US over enriched uranium

In line with this stance, the Iranian Foreign Minister indicated that Tehran remains willing to engage in confidence-building measures, reiterating, "This programme is peaceful, and we remain peaceful." However, Araghchi did not shy away from the friction points in the ongoing dialogue with the United States.

He identified the management of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile as a primary bone of contention, leading both sides to essentially freeze the issue for now. "The subject of our enriched material is a very complicated one," he explained. "We have come to a conclusion with the Americans that, since it is very difficult, we are almost in a deadlock on this particular question. Let's postpone it to the later stages of our negotiations," he said.

While the matter is currently "not under discussion" and "not on the negotiations," the Iran Foreign Minister hinted at potential "more consultations" with Kremlin could break the impasse. "Obviously, we will have more consultations with Russia, and we will see if the Russians can help or not. This is not something for the time being," Araghchi added.

Chabahar Port 'a golden gate for India'

Shifting focus to regional connectivity in response to a question from ANI regarding the progress of the Chabahar Port, Araghchi hailed the project as "one of the symbols of cooperation between Iran and India." Despite the shadow of US sanctions causing historical delays, he expressed high optimism for the corridor's future, noting, "I am confident that this port would be like a golden gate for India to access Central Asia, the Caucasus, and then Europe."

Beyond infrastructure, Araghchi further suggested that New Delhi, backed by its "good reputation," is uniquely positioned to play a "greater role" in fostering peace and security within the Persian Gulf.

Underscoring the depth of the bilateral partnership, he noted that the bond is "rooted in history, political, economic and cultural relations," affirming that Tehran remains "determined to continue our good relations with India."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)