Iran rules out nuclear talks if US demands halt to uranium enrichment

Iran will not return to nuclear negotiations if the United States insists on suspending uranium enrichment, a senior Iranian official said Monday, marking a new setback in efforts to revive diplomacy after last month’s war.

Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, said Tehran rejects any preconditions that demand halting its enrichment program.

“If negotiations are tied to the condition of suspending enrichment, then there will be no negotiations at all,” Velayati was quoted as saying by Iran’s state-run news agency.

The statement comes in the aftermath of a 12-day war that began on June 13, when “Israel” launched a military attack on Iran. The United States joined the offensive, striking three Iranian nuclear sites. The escalation disrupted ongoing diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington, which had been mediated by Oman.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Whitkoff had previously held five rounds of indirect talks since April. A sixth round was planned for June 15, but was canceled following the outbreak of the conflict.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran had approached the talks in good faith and was committed to diplomacy, but that recent events had undermined the process.

“Before the sixth round could begin, Tel Aviv launched a military assault on Iran in coordination with the United States,” Baghaei said. “We will not return to the negotiating table unless there is real seriousness in the diplomatic track and a clear purpose to the process.”