Iran’s Khamenei Criticizes U.S. Nuclear Demands as Excessive

Tehran (Eurotoday) – Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has criticized the United States’ expectations in ongoing nuclear negotiations, calling demands for Iran to cease uranium enrichment “excessive and outrageous,” according to Iranian state media. Khamenei expressed doubts about the likelihood of reaching any agreement in the talks.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff reaffirmed Washington’s position that any future deal with Tehran must include a complete halt to uranium enrichment, which the U.S. argues could potentially lead to nuclear weapons development.

While a fifth round of nuclear negotiations had been expected to take place over the weekend in Rome, progress has been hindered by fundamental disagreements between the two nations—particularly over uranium enrichment.

“I don’t think nuclear talks with the U.S. will bring results. I don’t know what will happen,”

Khamenei commented, stressing that the U.S. must stop making unreasonable demands during negotiations.

Why does Iran reject U.S. nuclear enrichment demands?

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi warned on Monday that the negotiations would collapse if Washington continued to demand a total end to Iran’s domestic uranium enrichment. The U.S. maintains that such enrichment could lead to weapons-grade nuclear material.

“Our position on enrichment is clear, and we have repeatedly stated that it is a national achievement from which we will not back down,”

Takht-Ravanchi emphasized.

Tehran insists that its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes only. On Tuesday, another Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, confirmed that Iran has received and is currently reviewing a new proposal from the United States.

How has Trump’s stance shaped current nuclear negotiations?

Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently warned that

“move quickly or something bad is going to happen.”

Throughout his presidency, Trump repeatedly threatened Iran with military action and heavy sanctions should it refuse to dismantle its controversial nuclear program.

During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which had significantly limited Iran’s enrichment capacity in exchange for relief from international sanctions. After calling the deal unfair, Trump reinstated wide-ranging sanctions against Tehran. Iran responded by ramping up its uranium enrichment efforts.