‘Let’s insist on having a nuclear program,’ says Iranian Minister to BBC

Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the Trump government ‘made it clear its position’ about new attacks. Takht-Ravanchi stated that Iran will “insist on” to enrich uranium for what it considers peaceful purposes. BBC The US should rule out any new attacks on Iran if they want to resume diplomatic negotiations, Iran’s deputy Foreign Minister to the BBC told. Majid Takht-Ravanchi states that the Trump government has informed Iran through mediators that it wants to resume negotiations, but “it has not made clear its position” on the “very important question” of new attacks while negotiations are underway. The Israeli military operation, which began at dawn on June 13, frustrated a sixth, mostly indirect negotiations, scheduled to take place in Mascate, in Oman, two days later. The US became directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran on the week, when they attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities in a bombing. Takht-Ravanchi also stated that Iran will “insist on” to enrich uranium for what it considers peaceful purposes, rejecting the accusations that Iran would be secretly mobilizing to develop a nuclear bomb. He stated that Iran had “access to denied nuclear material” for its research program, and therefore needed to “trust itself.” “The level of this can be discussed, the capacity can be discussed, but to say that one should not have enrichment, that one must have zero enrichment, and if it does not agree, we will bomb it-this is the jungle law,” said the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs. Israel started its attacks, aiming at nuclear and military facilities, as well as murdering commanders and scientists in Iran on June 13, claiming that Tehran was close to building a nuclear weapon. Iran responded by attacking Israel with missiles. The hostilities continued for 12 days, during which the US released bombs in three Iranian nuclear facilities: Ford, Natanz and Isfahan. The extent of damage caused to the Iranian nuclear program by US attacks is unclear, and Takht-Ravanchi said he could not provide exact assessment. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (AIEA), said the attacks caused serious but “non -total” damage, while US President Donald Trump stated that Iran’s nuclear facilities were “totally destroyed.” Grossi also stated that Iran has the ability to resume uranium enrichment in a “question of months”. In response, Takht-Ravanchi said he did not know if this would be the case. Iran’s relationship with AEAE has become increasingly tense. On Wednesday, the Iranian Parliament decided to suspend cooperation with the Atomic Surveillance Agency, accusing the AIEA of combining Israel and the US. Trump stated that he would consider “absolutely” bombarding Iran again if intelligence found that the country could enrich uranium to worrying levels. Takht-Ravanchi stated that no date had been agreed for a possible return to negotiations and did not know what would be on the agenda, after Trump suggests that discussions could take place this week. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister said, “At this point, we are seeking an answer to this question: will we see the repetition of an act of aggression while we are dialoguing?” He said the US needs to be “quite clear on this important issue” and “what they will offer us to generate the confidence needed for such dialogue.” Asked if Iran could consider rethinking its nuclear program as part of any agreement, possibly in exchange for relief of sanctions and investments in the country, Takht-Ravanchi replied, “Why should we agree with such a proposal?” He reiterated that the Iranian program, including 60%uranium enrichment, was “for peaceful purposes.” According to a 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers, Iran was not allowed to enrich uranium above 3.67% of purity – the level required for fuel of commercial nuclear plants – and was not allowed to make any enrichment in its 15 -year -old Ford Plant. However, Trump abandoned the deal in 2018 during his first term as president, claiming that he did very little to prevent the way for a bomb, and restored American sanctions. Iran retaliated more and more restrictions – particularly those related to enrichment. The country resumed enrichment in Ford in 2021 and accumulated uranium enriched at 60% sufficient to potentially manufacture nine nuclear bombs, according to the AIEA. Smoke rises after an attack on the building used by the Iran’s Islamic Republic news network on June 16. Getty Images via BBC pressed on the lack of confidence of European and Western leaders in Iran, Takht-Ravanchi accused some European leaders of “ridiculous” support to US and Israel attacks. He said that those who criticize Iran for their nuclear program “should criticize the way we were treated” and criticize the US and Israel. He added, “And if they don’t have the courage to criticize the United States, they should be silent, not trying to justify aggression.” Takht-Ravanchi also said that Iran received messages through mediators that the US “did not want to get involved in a regime change in Iran” aiming at the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Iranians to “get up for his freedom” to overthrow Khamenei’s clerical regime, but after last week’s ceasefire, Trump said he didn’t want the same. Takht-Ravanchi insisted that this would not happen and that the idea was “equivalent to a futile exercise.” He said that although some Iranians “can criticize some government actions when it comes to foreign aggression, they will be united to face it.” The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said that “it is not totally clear” if the ceasefire with Israel will last, but that Iran will continue to respect it “until there is a military attack on us.” He said Iran’s Arab Allies in the Persian Gulf are “doing their best to try to prepare the atmosphere needed for a dialogue.” Qatar is known to play a key role in mediating the current ceasefire. He added, “We don’t want war. We want to dialogue and practice diplomacy, but we have to be prepared, we have to be cautious, not to be surprised again.” Lyse Doucet is authorized to report to Iran on the condition that none of its reports be used by the Persian BBC service. This law of Iranian authorities applies to all international media agencies operating in Iran.

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