Iran Warns Nuclear Talks May Collapse
ran says negotiations at risk unless U.S. drops demand for “zero enrichment.”
Top Iranian officials warned this week that nuclear negotiations could collapse if the Trump administration insists on banning all uranium enrichment. Speaking at an international conference in Tehran, President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Iran “will not give up this right to use peaceful nuclear technology,” asserting the nation’s adherence to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which permits low-level enrichment for energy and medical uses.
The diplomatic standoff escalated after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff called zero enrichment a “very clear red line,” a shift from earlier signals that some limited enrichment might be tolerated.
Iran: Diplomatic Hopes Fade as U.S. Posture Hardens
A senior Iranian official said the U.S. position had made the upcoming Rome session uncertain, adding, “We don’t want to have a new round of negotiations and they fail.” He accused Witkoff of succumbing to internal and regional pressures, saying, “He cannot just face pressures at our expense.”
Iranian negotiators are reportedly reassessing their strategy amid mounting skepticism that a compromise is possible under current U.S. conditions.
Domestic Optimism Meets Geopolitical Reality
Despite harsh rhetoric, many Iranian officials still see Trump as a potential dealmaker. Some hope his flair for grand agreements and Republican backing could help push a new pact through Congress. Pezeshkian’s government, which came to power on a platform of diplomatic engagement, has been pushing for sanctions relief amid economic distress.
University of Tehran professor Sasan Karimi noted that Iranians remain “very optimistic, maybe too optimistic,” about the potential for détente with Washington.
Regional Weakness Adds Urgency
Iran’s leverage in the region has diminished sharply. Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, Hezbollah has lost key commanders, and Bashar al-Assad was deposed in December. Israeli officials now argue Iran’s vulnerability makes military action more viable than diplomacy.
Nonetheless, Trump’s administration has not embraced military escalation, instead keeping the threat in reserve while pressing for diplomatic concessions.