- The United States demands that Iran abandon its reserves enriched to 60% purity.
- Iran insists that sanctions relief is key to any nuclear commitment.
- Khamenei's advisor will visit Oman after US-Iran nuclear talks.
Iran could agree to dilute its highest-enriched uranium in exchange for all financial sanctions being lifted, its atomic chief said on Monday, one of the most direct indications yet of its position in talks with Washington.
US and Iranian diplomats held talks through Omani mediators in Oman last week in an effort to revive diplomacy, after US President Donald Trump positioned a naval flotilla in the region, raising fears of new military action.
The talks follow anti-government demonstrations in Iran last month, the largest internal unrest since the 1979 Revolution.
Trump joined an Israeli bombing campaign last year and attacked Iranian nuclear sites. He also threatened last month to intervene militarily during the protests, but ultimately refrained.
Washington has demanded Iran give up its stockpile (estimated last year by the UN nuclear agency at more than 440kg) of uranium enriched to 60% fissile purity, a small step away from the 90% considered weapons-grade.
The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, said Monday: “The possibility of diluting 60% enriched uranium… depends on whether, in return, all sanctions are lifted or not.”
Eslami, whose statements were collected by the Iranian Ministry ISNA The news agency said, however, that another proposal, to send Iran's highly enriched uranium abroad to another country, had not been discussed in talks with US officials.
Khamenei advisor to visit Oman
Ali Larijani, a close adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and secretary of his national security council, will visit Oman on Tuesday following US-Iran talks there, the semi-official said. Tasnim the news agency reported.
“During this trip, (Larijani) will meet senior officials of the Sultanate of Oman and discuss the latest regional and international developments and bilateral cooperation at various levels,” Tasnim said.
The date and location of the next round of talks have not yet been announced. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that a new round of talks would be “an appropriate opportunity for a fair and balanced resolution of this case” and that the desired outcome could be achieved if the United States avoids maximalist positions and respects its commitments.
Iran will continue to demand the lifting of sanctions and insist on its nuclear rights, including enrichment, he said.
Iran and the United States held five rounds of talks last year to curb Tehran's nuclear program, but the process collapsed mainly due to disputes over uranium enrichment inside Iran.
Since Trump attacked Iran's facilities, Tehran has said it has stopped enrichment activity. It has always said that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
The United States wants to include Iran's ballistic missile arsenal in the negotiations, but Tehran has ruled it out.
In a televised statement broadcast on Monday, Khamenei called on Iranians to participate in the upcoming anniversary of the 1979 Revolution.
“The presence of the people at the march and their expression of loyalty to the Islamic Republic will make the enemy stop coveting Iran,” Khamenei said.
