Nuclear Negotiations: U.S. Red Lines and Iran’s Firm Response

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Just days before a new round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that any agreement with Tehran must include a “complete halt to uranium enrichment” and allow its import only for strictly civilian purposes.

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This signals the potential for a renewed diplomatic standoff over one of the Middle East’s most complex nuclear issues.

In a podcast interview aired Tuesday evening on Honestly with Bari Weiss, Rubio stated: “There is a path for Iran if it wants a peaceful, civilian nuclear program.” But he warned: “If they insist on enrichment, they will be the only country in the world enriching uranium without possessing nuclear weapons. That raises serious concerns.”

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Iran Responds

Iran’s response came swiftly. A senior official close to the nuclear negotiating team said that “a total ban on enrichment is unacceptable.”

He added, in comments reported by Iranian media, that “Iran’s right to enrich uranium is guaranteed and non-negotiable.”

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This verbal escalation comes ahead of a third round of indirect talks between the Iranian and U.S. delegations scheduled for Saturday in Oman, amid a notable absence of any real signs of convergence on the core issue: the nature of Iran’s nuclear program.

Rubio’s statements are in line with the “maximum pressure” policy pursued by U.S. President Donald Trump toward Iran—a strategy that includes economic sanctions and threats of military force.

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Trump has repeatedly stated that his administration will not allow Tehran to develop a nuclear bomb, describing Iran’s nuclear ambitions as a threat to regional and international security.

On the other hand, Iran maintains that its program is entirely peaceful and insists on its right to pursue nuclear development within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), accusing Washington of attempting to impose unreasonable political conditions that undermine its sovereignty.

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A Negotiation Path Strewn with Obstacles

The upcoming negotiations in Oman already appear to be overshadowed by deep differences in perspective. While Washington demands a halt to enrichment as a fundamental condition, Tehran sees this as a violation of its sovereignty and rights—making a meaningful breakthrough in this round unlikely.

Amid this ongoing tension, fears are mounting of a return to heightened conflict, especially with repeated regional escalations and growing Israeli warnings about potential preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

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