Washington is not clear about how and through what mechanisms sanctions will be lifted, Tehran says.
Iran has called for precisely clarification of how the US will lift sanctions if both parties reach a new agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei made a comment on Monday days after submitting what the US described as an “acceptable” proposal. The unverified report claims that Iran considers the offer a “non-starter” and is preparing to reject it.
The pair have been negotiating seven weeks on a nuclear program, and while the US is seeking guarantees that peace is present, Iran wants to avoid punishing sanctions that have hit the economy in recent years.
However, Tehran is currently demanding in detail what Washington is offering, reflecting his skepticism earlier this year by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency, Baghaei emphasized the need for assurances regarding the “actual end of sanctions.”
“The US has yet to provide the necessary clarity in this regard,” he said.
Baghey also reiterated Iran’s intention to continue to enrich uranium for “peaceful” purposes.
US envoy Steve Witkoff said President Donald Trump is opposed to Tehran and calling it the “red line.”
A leaked UN report shows that Iran has increased its production of uranium enriched at 60%. This is almost 90% of the approximately 90% required for atomic weapons, but well above the 4% required for electricity production.
Baghaei dismissed the report as biased and accused unnamed Western countries of pressureing the UN to act against Iran’s interests.
According to an official source cited by The New York Times, the recent US proposal includes a call to Iran to end all enrichment.
Tehran confirmed the receipt of a proposal that the White House described as “the biggest interest” in Iran, but says it is still reviewing the document.
“To receive a textbook does not mean accepting it, and it doesn’t even mean to be accepted,” Baghhai said.
Reuters has quoted the unknown Iranian diplomat saying Tehran is in the process of drafting a negative response to a US proposal that could be interpreted as a rejection.
The report says officials do not consider the proposal as “non-starter,” as they do not temper the US stance on enrichment or provide a “clear explanation” of sanctions relief.
Iran has held five rounds of talks with the United States since April 12th, seeking a new agreement to replace the deal with key powers Trump abandoned in his first term in 2018.