Iran insists on uranium enrichment ahead of US talks
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- Mohammad Eslami stated that protecting Iran's right to enrich uranium is 'necessary' for ceasefire negotiations with the U.S., emphasizing it as a core part of Tehran's 10-point plan.
- Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran head Eslami made the remarks during commemorations in Tehran, underscoring enrichment as a key precondition ahead of the upcoming talks.
- U.S. and Iran are scheduled to meet in Islamabad, Pakistan, this weekend for discussions aimed at securing a permanent ceasefire.
- Eslami noted that the U.S. refusal to acknowledge Iran's enrichment rights is an unspoken but critical obstacle in the negotiations.
Why it matters: Iran is drawing a hard line on uranium enrichment as a prerequisite for peace, not just a bargaining chip. This shifts the diplomatic calculus: if the U.S. won't concede on enrichment, the Islamabad talks risk immediate deadlock, raising stakes for a region already on edge.
