Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Wednesday that abandoning uranium enrichment was “100 percent” against Tehran’s interests, effectively rejecting a key U.S. demand in weeks of tense negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
The Trump administration over the weekend proposed the outline of a deal that would seem to allow Iran to continue enriching uranium, which had been a sticking point in talks — but only temporarily. With talks at an impasse, the proposal was seen as a potential concession that could open a path to compromise.
In his first public remarks since the proposal was reported on, Ayatollah Khamenei said that Iran’s “response to the U.S. government’s nonsense is clear.”
He said in a speech that it would be “useless” for Iran to build nuclear power plants without being able to enrich uranium over the long term, framing the U.S. proposal as an attempt to obstruct Iran’s nuclear industry and self-reliance.
“The recent nuclear plan that the Americans have prepared is 100 percent against ‘We Can Do It,’” he said, referring to one of his most prominent slogans, a nod to Iranian independence.
“The rude and arrogant leaders of America repeatedly demand that we should not have a nuclear program,” Mr. Khamenei continued, adding, “They cannot do anything about this.”
The outline of the potential deal, which Iranian and European officials described on the condition of anonymity, was handed to Iran over the weekend. It proposed an arrangement that would allow Iran to continue enriching uranium at low levels while the United States and other countries work out a more detailed plan intended to block Tehran’s path to a nuclear weapon but give it access to fuel for new nuclear power plants.
Top Iranian officials have rejected the idea of completely abandoning uranium enrichment on Iranian soil.
“Without respecting our right to enrich uranium,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday in response to the U.S. proposal, “there will be no agreement.”
Ayatollah Khamenei, who has the last word on all key state matters, was less explicit in his critique of the U.S. demands. He also did not order a halt to the negotiations with the United States, though he did say whether they would continue.
In his speech on Wednesday, he argued that Iran has a right to develop technologies without permission from other countries.
“We’ve told the Americans: ‘What business is it of yours whether Iran pursues enrichment or not?’” he said.
“The Americans want us to abandon our progress,” he said, adding, “They oppose Iran’s progress and the enrichment of our nation.”
Amelia Nierenberg is a breaking news reporter for The Times in London, covering international news.
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