Tehran: Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, declared on Sunday that the Islamic Republic's nuclear enrichment activities “will never stop”, asserting that the country is exercising its right to peaceful energy development under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
“The enrichment is our right, an inalienable right, and we want to implement this right,” Iravani told CBS News, reiterating Tehran’s long-standing position that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes. He added that while Iran is open to diplomacy, it will not accept what he called “dictated” negotiations. “Unconditional surrender is not negotiation. It is dictating the policy toward us,” he said.
Iravani noted that Iran remains open to negotiations in principle but stated that current conditions were unsuitable following recent hostilities. “After this aggression, it is not proper condition for a new round of negotiation, and there is no request for negotiation and a meeting with the president,” he added.
Responding to concerns over the safety of Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iravani denied any threats from Iran against the official or IAEA inspectors. Although Iranian officials have accused the agency’s inspectors of aiding Israel in justifying recent attacks, Iravani insisted, “There is no any threat.” He confirmed that the inspectors are in Iran and in safe conditions, but clarified that their activity has been suspended and they currently have no access to nuclear sites. “Our assessment is that they have not done their jobs,” he said.
When asked by CBS anchor Margaret Brennan whether he would condemn calls for Grossi’s arrest or execution—allegedly made by a newspaper close to Iran’s leadership and highlighted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio—Iravani said he would.
He further addressed U.S. claims that Tehran has avoided diplomatic solutions, reiterating Iran’s position that it is open to fair negotiations. Citing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach, Iravani said, “If they are ready for negotiation, they will find us ready for that. But if they want to dictate us, it is impossible for any negotiation with them.”
On Saturday, Iravani indicated that Iran may be willing to transfer its enriched uranium stocks to another country in the event of a nuclear agreement with the United States. Citing reports from Al-Monitor, he said the transfer of 20% and 60% enriched uranium would not constitute a red line for Tehran. Alternatively, he said the enriched material could remain within Iran under IAEA supervision.
However, Iravani firmly reiterated that Iran would not abandon its right to domestic uranium production—a condition the United States rejects. “We will not give up this right,” he said on Sunday.
These statements come as Western powers, including the United States, are urging Iran to resume nuclear negotiations. Tensions escalated further after U.S. strikes targeted three Iranian facilities last week, triggering days of uncertainty about the extent of the damage.
Donald Trump initially claimed the facilities were “totally obliterated”, but recent reports suggest otherwise. Rafael Grossi told CBS that while the damage was serious, Iran retains the capability to resume uranium enrichment in a short time. “The capacities they have are there,” Grossi said. “They can have, you know, in a matter of months, I would say, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that. But as I said, frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there.”
Trump, speaking to Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday, dismissed reports that Iran had moved 400kg of 60% enriched uranium before the U.S. strikes on Fordow, the country’s primary enrichment site. “It’s very hard to do, dangerous to do, it’s very heavy, plus we didn’t give them much notice because they didn’t know we were coming,” Trump said.
He suggested that vehicles seen near the Fordow entrance prior to the strikes were likely construction teams brought in to seal the facility. “There are thousands of tons of rock in that room right now,” Trump claimed. “The whole place was just destroyed.”
However, a report from The Washington Post on Sunday stated that intercepted Iranian communications revealed senior Iranian officials discussing that the damage from the U.S. attacks was not as extensive as expected. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, responded dismissively, telling the Post, “The notion that unnamed Iranian officials know what happened under hundreds of feet of rubble is nonsense.”
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Iran’s armed forces chief ofIran’s UN ambassador, Amir-Saeid Iravani, said Tehran is open to negotiations but rejects “dictated” terms, asserting that nuclear enrichment is Iran’s inalienable right and “unconditional surrender is not negotiation.” staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, reportedly spoke with the Saudi defence minister and expressed scepticism that Israel would honour the ceasefire ending their 12-day war—brokered and announced by Trump. According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency, Mousavi said, “Since we are completely doubtful about the enemy honouring its commitments, including the ceasefire, we are prepared to give it a tough response in case of recurrence of an act of aggression.”
Mousavi added that both Israel and the United States “have shown that they do not adhere to any international rules and norms”. He concluded, “We did not initiate war, but we responded with all our power to the aggressor.”